


tin soldiers

by idrilka



Series: half awake in a fake empire [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Academia, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Fandom Politics, M/M, Mentions of Non-Consensual Body Modification, Mentions of PTSD, Meta, POV Outsider, Social Media, mentions of canon-typical violence, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-02-03 22:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1758087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilka/pseuds/idrilka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>In his 2009 book on Captain America comic books, war photography, and American propaganda, Everett claims: “There is nothing to suggest that either the graphic novels issued during the war or the photographs taken during Rogers’ stay with the Howling Commandos can serve as a basis for a queer reading of Rogers and Barnes’ relationship. But even more importantly, there is nothing to suggest that such a relationship ever existed in the first place, and as such, those queer readings are not only misguided, but also libelous” (197).</i>
</p><p>
  <span class="small">[from: Lynn E. Anderson, <i>Captain America: Behind the Mask. Steve Rogers and the Contemporary Hero Narrative</i> (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), p. 242.]</span>
</p><p>In the aftermath of Steve's return to the world of the living and the battle of New York, the academia and the Internet react.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [小锡兵](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2308916) by [icebreakerftw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icebreakerftw/pseuds/icebreakerftw)
  * Translation into Русский available: [Оловянные солдатики](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5075842) by [isamai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isamai/pseuds/isamai)



> a couple of things:  
> 1) huge thanks to [eirene](http://buckyupbaby.tumblr.com/) and [kubiś](http://kubis.tumblr.com/) for encouraging me, cheerleading and general hand-holding.  
> 2) all the usernames are completely made up and are not meant to reflect any real users on any of the social media platforms featured in this story. any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.  
> 3) all the books and articles this story references are also made up (though sometimes i wish they weren't). except for _the celluloid closet_ , which is real, and also a great documentary which i can wholeheartedly recommend.  
> 4) most of the links are actually clickable. (now with [fake book covers](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/post/91070642640/fake-book-covers-for-books-referenced-in-tin).)  
> 5) all the typos you might come across in the actual social media content are a conscious stylistic choice. all the typos you might come across outside of the social media content are accidental and if you find any, please, do let me know.  
> 6) this story at one point references the hbo miniseries _generation kill_ , but no prior knowledge of the show is necessary. (i highly, highly recommend it, though.)  
> 7) also, for the sake of convenience, let's assume that the mcu takes place in a parallel universe in which livejournal is still relevant.

[from: Lynn E. Anderson, _Captain America: Behind the Mask. Steve Rogers and the Contemporary Hero Narrative_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), pp. 241-243.]

**_CHAPTER VI  
The Great Repression: Steve Rogers, James Barnes, and the Narratives of Homosocial Desire_ **

_ Although the relationship between Rogers and his most trusted childhood friend, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes has been subject to a great deal of scrutiny in past publications on the matter, of both scholarly and purely biographical persuasion, there has been a certain degree of unwillingness among the academic community as well as the general public to consider the possibility that the nature of their relationship transgressed both the boundaries of friendship and social mores of their times. To see Steve Rogers—to see Captain America, the ultimately jingoistic symbol of American World War II propaganda, at least at the moment of his (re)birth as the national icon—in the context of a queer narrative is, to some critics and academics, utterly unprofessional and even morally abhorrent. In his 2009 book on Captain America comic books, war photography, and American propaganda, Everett claims: “There is nothing to suggest that either the graphic novels issued during the war or the photographs taken during Rogers’ stay with the Howling Commandos can serve as a basis for a queer reading of Rogers and Barnes’ relationship. But even more importantly, there is nothing to suggest that such a relationship ever existed in the first place, and as such, those queer readings are not only misguided, but also libelous” (197), while Miller, in a similar vein, calls them “devoid of any grounding in fact and blatantly disregarding all evidence to the contrary” ( _Birth of an Icon_ , 294). _

_[…]_

_ The unwillingness to accept the possibility that Rogers and Barnes might have been lovers (or at least romantically involved) before and during the war seems to stem from almost desperate adherence to several concepts firmly entrenched in the dominant paradigm of the narratives of masculinity and war. The inherent subversivness of such a relationship, therefore, not only undermines the public image of Captain America, carefully crafted and controlled in the early days of his public exposure during the USO tour (Willingham 53), but also, according to the social mores of his times, calls into question his very masculinity, that is, the central trait emphasized in the process of his transformation from Steve Rogers to Captain America. For Captain America to find himself anywhere on the queer spectrum would mean, then, in the minds of his contemporaries, that the narrative of the hypermasculine, heteronormative world of the American Army has been irrevocably tarnished and become partially irrecoverable, destroyed beyond all repair, emasculated just like its most prominent symbol. _

.

fight the land ( **fighttheland** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**captain america: behind the mask**

GUYS GUYS GUYS HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW BOOK ON CAP HOLY FUCK IT’S SO GOOOOOOD. 

okay, capslock time over. but seriously guys, it’s so good and finally, FINALLY, we have something that doesn’t gloss over You Know What and doesn’t tell us we’re just a bunch of weirdos who read far too much into everything. and fuck miller and fuck everett, btw, bc they’re shitting all over this book in their reviews, and i think we all know why that is. 

for real tho, there’s some excellent use of sources in this book, and my inner history major rejoices. and holy fuck, where did she even get those sketches, i don’t think they were ever released to the public? or did i miss something? are they from a private collection? is that a recent find? tell me, i need to knowwwwww, for reasons.

and THANK FUCKING GOD there’s FINALLY someone who didn’t go LALALALALALA CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF HOW STRAIGHT CAP IS when there’s strong evidence suggesting otherwise. 

tags: medium: books, person: james barnes, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


227 comments

Reply from **howlingcommando15**  
How is this even a peer-reviewed publication? Didn’t know the author was a tumblr-bred tinhatter. Disgraceful and disgusting. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Yeah, okay, so just because it doesn’t agree with your views (bigoted as they are), it suddenly has no academic merit? I know you love to troll this community, but seriously, this is ridiculous. And if you seriously think Cap would be offended (even if she’s totally off base with this, which I don’t think she is) because someone implied that he might not be straight, think again. What news have you been watching? Fox News got their asses HANDED TO THEM last time he went on air. Jon Stewart was pissing himself laughing for a week. 

Reply from **fighttheland**  
okay, pal, whatever you say. lots of place on reddit for the likes of you.

Expand **57 comments**

Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
I think the sketches are new. They supposedly found them quite recently and didn’t know if they were authentic, so they needed to check first? Idk, I think they consulted Peggy Carter on this, but since she’s not doing so great memory-wise rn they wanted to double-check, I guess? Anyway, holy shit. No wonder Cap wanted those hidden. I’m just wondering if Barnes knew. Because I think we can all agree (well, maybe not all, but those of us who possess an ounce of common sense and basic reading comprehension skills) that Cap had it bad for Bucky, but we also know that Barnes was doing a lot of skirt-chasing before the war. I mean, obviously, it could’ve been a front and all that, but idk. Anyway, I think she’s on to something, and Miller and Everett can go fuck themselves, bc if they tooted that republican horn any louder, it’d be a fucking foghorn orchestra.

.

  
**rogersthat** reblogged **ifinditkindafunny**

> if u srsly think steve rogers is against welfare and pro paid education, u must have been dropped on your fucking head at some point in life, like, wtf ??????????

#steve rogers #captain america #for real tho

 

**ifinditkindafunny**

> guys u have no idea how much shit i got for that steve rogers and welfare post omg im dying

#personal #haters gonna hate   


.

pixel of green ( **always_angry** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**CAPTAIN AMERICA MINISERIES**

IT’S CONFIRMED. 

HBO is making a new Captain America miniseries. The Generation Kill guy is writing and producing, so hopefully it’s going to be good, and maybe we won’t die from an overdose of Spielberg-style patriotic grandeur. No casting news so far, though. Any thoughts?

_[source]_

tags: medium: tv, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


154 comments

Reply from **jokersmom**  
BUT HOW ARE THEY GONNA HANDLE THE SEXPOSITION? 

Reply from **farrah_s**  
Cap, those pants need to go. For reasons. The shirt, too. (But seriously though, I LOLd.)

Expand **12 comments**

Reply from **hitmanactual**  
So how about that Skarsgard-Simon reunion, huh?

Reply from **raypersonjr**  
YES, AND STARK SANDS CAN PLAY BUCKY BARNES. I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED THIS UNTIL NOW, BUT GOD, DO I NEED IT.

Reply from **captainbromance**  
but isn’t askars still banging sookie on true blood or sth? he could be good, but there might be some scheduling conflict, idk. (or they could go the rudy reyes route, and cap could just play himself. he has some background in acting lol)

Reply from **daisies-s**  
Idk, I’m not really feeling Skarsgard as Cap. He has that bad boy vibe, he’s not wholesome enough. Like, I really love the guy’s work and all, but he doesn’t scream “corn-fed poster boy for America” to me.

Reply from **blueskies**  
\+ 1

.

  
**frecklygal**

> So, guys, you know how I sometimes go jogging in the morning before my shift? And you know how I tore a ligament a few years back and it’s still bugging me sometimes? So guess what happened today. THE FUCKING THING TORE AGAIN. I was in so much pain I couldn’t see straight. So I’m, like, limping to the nearest bench, right, trying not to cry and failing hardcore, because that fucking HURTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER, and when I get there and try not to puke from the pain, I just want to straight up curl up and die, because that’s usually how it goes with me in those cases (I have a very low pain threshold, okay). 
> 
> And then, I SHIT YOU NOT, _**CAPTAIN FUCKING AMERICA**_ , wearing world’s tightest t-shirt, jogs over and asks if I need any help, if he needs to call me a cab, or call an ambulance or anything, and at that point I’m just like, lol, that’s it, I’ve lost it, I’m hallucinating now and dying, probably, take me in, Jesus, I’m ready. But nope, turns out I really wasn’t and Steve Rogers just casually jogs round D.C. every morning like it’s no big deal, oh, dont mind me, I’m just captaining all over the place, nbd, nbd. Jesus fucking Christ on a cracker. 
> 
> So this is the story of how I busted my knee, but then Captain America came over to check up on me, called me a cab, paid for the cab and gave the driver a ridiculous tip to make sure the guy helped me into the ER. STEVE MOTHERFUCKING ROGERS, EVERYONE. YOUR FAVES COULD NEVER.

#HOLY SHIT I’M STILL SCREAMING ON THE INSIDE #steve rogers #captain america

 

**frecklygal**

>   
>  **pouringrainbows** said:  
>  hey you should check out the spot_your_cap comm over at lj, they like sharing stories like this, jsyk, its a rly rly nice place

  


> Omg, thank you, I didn’t even know such a place existed! I’ll def be checking it out soon!

#ask #pouringrainbows   


.

what ails you ( **fisherkings** ) wrote in **spot_your_cap**

Okay, guys, fair warning, this is gonna get pretty meta pretty fast. Because you know that I love Cap-spotting as much as the next person, and this comm is literally one of the most uplifting places on the internet right now, because it’s first and foremost about human connection and how heroes really _are_ just like us, and they go out to get Chipotle or whatever, and we desperately need that in this shit show that’s called our lives, especially after what happened in NYC. 

But, on the other hand, I wonder sometimes, y’know? About responsibility and the role of social media and their influence, and how they can sometimes be used for good, but how sometimes they aren’t. And how we contribute to that. Because it’s one thing to get a selfie with Cap while he’s just waiting in line at Starbucks and post it to Instagram, but it’s another thing to, I don’t know, compromise an undercover mission, and this is a real possibility, not just some hypothetical situation, because, really, all it takes is one photo, one comment, y’know? And all those tweets and posts on tumblr, or here, or in other places on the net, they can, in theory, make it easier to target Cap (or any of the other Avengers, for that matter), so it’s a really weird and not totally comfortable position to be in—to know that you can unwittingly contribute to something really bad through totally innocuous actions. 

Not to mention the issue of privacy and the right to privacy, because the fact that someone is a public figure (and it’s as public as you can get with Cap) doesn’t entitle everyone to pry into their private life, they get enough of that from the paps. And I know this community is really good at establishing and following the rules, but we know that not everyone is. And we _know_ for a fact that Cap is always extremely nice about those things, because that’s who he is, but we also have to remember that everyone has limits, and it makes me really uncomfortable sometimes to think we might be overstepping some boundaries.

So I’m just wondering, I guess, how you see that, and how you think we, as a community (fandom?) should proceed, because I think that’s actually a really important discussion that we should have at some point, especially considering that those fandom and rl spaces start to overlap on social media so much—now that there’s the official Avengers Instagram account, and some of them are even on Twitter, I think we should be really mindful of establishing some boundaries, because they’re not your ordinary celebrities, and we shouldn’t forget that. I mean, if we snap a picture of Rihanna or whoever at a very bad moment, they might get (understandably) pissed, but there’s no immediate threat that comes from this sort of invasion of privacy. But with people who would, in different circumstances, be special ops and everything about them would be classified, we really do need a different, more cautious approach. And, as I’ve said earlier, we should have the common fucking decency not to invade their privacy when it’s clear they don’t want to be disturbed. I’m looking at you, lj user **havanass**. Oh, wait, right, we already banned your sorry ass. (See, this is why I love this comm. We don’t stand for this shit.)

Okay, so? Thoughts? Comments?

ETA: Also, one more thing (not so much to this comm, but to the internet at large)—I know some of you are really curious if Lynn Anderson is right, but for fuck’s sake, don’t just _ask him if he was fucking his best friend_. Forcing people to out themselves or lie about it is disgusting and besides, he doesn’t owe you shit. /rant

tags: meta, steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


72 comments

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Yeah, I sometimes wonder about that, too. And I think you raise a very valid point, one that the fandom at large (because, yeah, I think we can call ourselves a fandom, just look at all that fanfiction) will have to tackle at some point, because this IS a discussion that needs to happen, and sooner rather than later, especially considering how things are now, post-NY. It just goes to show, though, that we, as a community, could’ve done a lot worse for ourselves, because even the fact that someone is ASKING those questions shows that we are a lot more self-aware than SOME fandoms (I’m not going to point fingers, but I think we all know what I mean by that *cough*).

You’re right about the privacy aspect of it, too. It’s all fun and games until someone crosses the line, and I think the line HAS ALREADY BEEN CROSSED. Multiple times. And, idk, this might sound weird and intrusive, but am I the only one who thinks Cap doesn’t really look all that happy, especially in some candids? Because this is something I started to notice a while ago, and that’s why this privacy thing bothers me so much, I guess. Like, some people really don’t get that he’s not a fucking mascot, he’s not a fucking PR stunt, that HE FOUGHT IN AN ACTUAL WAR, he lost people, and, quite possibly, deals with PTSD. He doesn’t need you to pester him when it’s clear he’d rather be alone. 

And don’t even get me started on people who approach him about Anderson’s book (as much as I think she’s actually right in her assumptions about his relationship with Barnes). Just. WHY. WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT’S A GOOD IDEA. WHY. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god, thank you so much for that comment, Vee. You’re one of the pillars of reason in this community (in general, not only in this particular lj comm), so you have no idea how much it means to me that you responded to my post. 

I don’t think I have anything more to add re: social media and invasion of privacy, but the thing you said about Cap not really looking all that happy is, in my opinion, absolutely spot on. I’ve noticed that, too, and I can’t say I’m all that surprised. When you really think about this, for us, WW2 has been over for more than 70 years, but for him it’s been what, a year? Not even that? So I guess a lot of that loss is still fresh, and I don’t imagine the absolutely bizarre circumstances he’s found himself in are helping the case. And some people choose to be totally disgusting about it. Ugh. 

And I have no idea what to think about people who, in all seriousness, approach him to ask if he was fucking his best _deceased_ friend. I agree that Anderson is _probably_ at least partially right about this (obviously we can only speculate whether that thing between them ever got physical), but this is clearly a topic that he’d rather avoid, and I don’t give a damn if it’s just for now or maybe forever, because, as I said, he doesn’t owe anyone _shit_. We, on the other hand, owe him quite a lot. And first and foremost, we owe him _respect_. But some people just don’t get that. 

Reply from **barnes-and-rogers**  
yeah, remember [that photo](http://i.imgur.com/sLhXx6O.png)? some gossip rag even wrote an article about how cap might be “unfit for duty” or some such bullshit because he might be “too depressed and/or mentally unstable”? jfc. also, fuck the daily bugle.

Expand **32 comments**

.

1 - 20 of 25704 Works in James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

.

[from: Lynn E. Anderson, _Captain America: Behind the Mask. Steve Rogers and the Contemporary Hero Narrative_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), pp. 250-252]

 _It is often argued, then, that queer readings of their relationship rely on a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of homosocial relationships of the time and promote anachronistic interpretations of sexual identities. This stance, however, dismisses at least several important factors._

 _Even though it is true that in the modern times extremely close bonds between two men which eschew the machismo of the so-called “true male friendship” in favor of emotional—and in many cases also physical—closeness are bound to be viewed with suspicion, that is not to say that all instances of such closeness in Rogers’ time were necessarily strictly platonic, simply adhering to the homosocial standard of the period. On the contrary, as recent studies suggest, many same-sex couples in the 1930s and 1940s used the prevailing opinions on male bonding and the acceptance of certain kinds of closeness between men (restrictive as they might have been) to their advantage, in order to hide the true nature of their relationships (Fawcett 187), a practice which would most probably not stand up to scrutiny in the present day, characterized by its tendency to view any sort of intense male closeness that deviates from the extremely restrictive norm as suspicious and potentially queer. However, it is crucial to remember that, even though the men of the period had been afforded different sorts of freedoms when it comes to manifestations of close male bonding, the homosocial, in encouraging close companionship between men and the simultaneous exclusion of women, has always incorporated a strong undercurrent of homophobia and misogyny, to which Rogers’ contemporaries engaged in same-sex relationships or activities needed to respond in order to maintain the illusion of their heterosexuality. Such instances of affirming one’s heterosexual desire in a homosocial context might have ranged from violent actions against more or less openly gay men—or those who would have been perceived as gay men due to their supposed effeminacy—to the frequent practice of alluding to the desirability of the absent women, excluded by necessity from the homosocial bonding experience._

 _Moreover, the issue of class plays a crucial role when it comes to the specific nature of homosocial socialization—the working class, to which both Rogers and Barnes belonged, exercised much more restrictive rules of permitted homosocial behavior, especially in comparison to the upper or even upper-middle class, and, most notably, intelligentsia._

 _[…]_

 _Therefore, to demand definite proof of Rogers and Barnes’ relationship is to completely disregard the oppressive environment in which they grew up as well as the subsequent roles they came to play in the machine of American war propaganda. It is deeply symptomatic that in the comic books issued at the time of the Second World War, Bucky becomes Captain America’s young sidekick instead of a life-long friend and—as can be inferred from various sources—the most important person in Steve Rogers’ life. As Michelle Mbatha argues in _The Anatomy of a Sidekick_ , “Barnes’ transition from a partner to a sidekick marks the point at which the relationship between Barnes and Rogers becomes that of a mentor and pupil, thus effectively prohibiting any potentially »unsavoury« readings of their partnership” (121). In this sort of dynamic, one which emphasizes the much more prominent age difference, there is, indeed, no place for any assumptions of queerness or any sort of code similar to that which permeated cinematographic works of the time, signifying penalizable, “forbidden” practices falling under the censorship guidelines (see also: _The Celluloid Closet_ , 1995). Bucky, then, in taking his place as Captain America’s teenage sidekick, becomes figuratively castrated in order to appear effectively sexless and thus avoid any possibility of coding their relationship as queer._

 _Moreover, the insistence upon heteronormative and ultimately exclusionary interpretations of Rogers’ relationships with Barnes and Carter respectively, both in the comics and in biographical writings, comes from the need to reaffirm the image created by the American propaganda, which constructed Captain America to reflect the intrinsically jingoistic policies of the United States, to propagate the myth of American machismo and uphold the wholesome image of the American everyman at the same time. Therefore—given that the most recognizable image of a homosexual in the dominant discourse of Rogers’ times was that of a degenerate, antisocial deviant (Crooks 43), usually one extremely effeminate in appearance—it would be hard for the officials to reconcile that image with Rogers’ new public persona, his effectively superhuman strength and traditional good looks. For that reason, then, in the eyes of the authorities, who controlled the official narrative of the new American icon, there was no real possibility for Captain America to fall anywhere on the queer spectrum, despite substantial evidence to the contrary. They have, thus, effectively, willed the strictly heterosexual Steve Rogers into existence._

.

somewhere over the rainbow ( **blueskies** ) wrote in **superheroes_daily**

 **PEGGY CARTER NETFLIX MINISERIES**

 _[ source]_

 _More than a decade after the first (unsuccessful) attempt at bringing the character of Peggy Carter to the silver screen, the TV industry is ready to try again._

 _Following the 2000 feature film starring the horribly miscast Milla Jovovich as the titular Agent Carter, Netflix has announced that they are developing a 10-part miniseries which will focus on Carter’s rise through the ranks in the SSR and her subsequent involvement with Project Rebirth._

 _While it has been already announced that the series, entitled simply _Carter_ , will star Romola Garai ( _The Hour_ ) as Peggy Carter—news which many fans have welcomed with a sigh of relief and even considerable enthusiasm—the search for her Steve Rogers remains ongoing, and with the planned HBO adaptation, which is set to air next April, there is already a lot of speculation concerning what some of the critics have dubbed “the battle of two Captains.” So far the casting rumors include Armie Hammer ( _The Social Network_ ) and Garrett Hedlund ( _TRON: Legacy_ ) as well as Ryan McPartlin ( _J. Edgar_ ). _

_The series is currently in development, set to air next summer, and while at the moment only a 10-episode run has been commissioned, Netflix does not rule out the possibility that the show might be renewed for a second season if the series garners serious enough interest._

I CANNOT BELIEVE MY EYES. THEY CAST AN ACTUAL BRIT AS PEGGY CARTER. REJOICE.

Also, holy shit, they’re not fucking around. They’re cashing in on the newly-defrosted Cap like there’s no tomorrow. And you know what? I’m pretty fine with this, because maybe now we’ll get the Peggy Carter movie (tv show, whatever) this woman deserves. None of that Jovovich/Pitt bullshit. (I wonder if Cap watched that one and cried tears of despair.) But really. A Peggy Carter tv show. *does a victory dance around the room*

And I really, really like the choice of Ryan McPartlin for Cap.

(Sorry for the crossposting, if you follow **peggycarter** , **peggycarter_news** or **carter_land** , or all of the above. I got excited.)

tags: peggy carter, steve rogers, television  
_____________________________________  


237 comments

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Oh my God, I could cry. This has the potential to be amazing. Don’t screw it up, Netflix. 

I’ve been telling people that Romola should play Peggy for the longest time now, so I feel validated. And I really like the choice of McPartlin for Cap, too. He’s not high-profile enough to refuse it (and, let’s face it, right now television is the new cinema, so even A-listers start to flock to the tv industry), and he has the potential. And the jaw. BUT ROMOLA. ROMOLA FOR PEGGY. THANK YOU, JESUS. 

The only sad thing is that Peggy Carter probably won’t live long enough to see it or if she does, she probably won’t remember it anyway :((( It’s heartbreaking, really, to hear that her health has started to decline so rapidly these past few months, she’s such a role-model and I can’t imagine that there will come a day when she’ll just… not be there. And now I’ve made myself even more sad. Fuck. 

Reply from **avalanche_**  
wow, this is going to be a disaster. sorry, but peggy carter is just BORING, like, what does she even do thats even remotely interesting. 

and lol, ppl creaming themselves over romola garai who cant act her way out of a paper bag. and the choices for cap are even worse. garrett hedlund? really? whats next, channing tatum?

Reply from **thegreendot**  
What does she even do that’s even remotely interesting? Gee, I don’t know. MAYBE FOUND AND RUN S.H.I.E.L.D.? OR SUPERVISE THE ENTIRE PROJECT REBIRTH? IDK, THINGS LIKE THAT.

Reply from **callinda**  
Idk, I’m way more bothered by the fact that they’re doing this (both Netflix and HBO) while Cap is still (again?) alive and they’re just milking him for his fame and popularity, because they know they’re gonna get big $$$ off of this, regardless of Cap’s own feelings on the matter. 

Reply from **blueskies**  
But didn’t he go on the record(ish) to say that he doesn’t mind? Just that he doesn’t necessarily want to watch it himself, but he gets that Captain America is bigger than him and he’s basically a comic book character as well, so he doesn’t really give that much of a fuck?

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Yes, I think he did it when he was on Letterman (IIRC?) some time ago. Not in those exact words, but yeah, that was the gist of it. And he also joked that it would be hypocritical of him when he was the original Captain America in the first feature films they did, so if he got to shoot malfunctioning toy guns and sweat in a too-tight costume, then who is he to deprive others of this privilege. 

ETA: Yup, it was [Letterman](http://i.imgur.com/4JeOtyH.png).

Expand **16 comments**

Reply from **ammellies**  
i hope this show does well enough to finally shut up all the whining manchildren who think peggy carter was just some love interest for cap, and not a woman who co-founded and ran one of the most influential organizations in the US. like, for real.

.

  
**rogersthat**

> of course [this](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/post/87726116420/1-the-howling-commandos-from-left-to-right-pvt) opens when i’m on the other side of the fucking country and broke as hell. of course.
> 
> (but also: yay for the peggy carter tv show!)

#this is bullshit #this is such fucking bullshit #my sister told me she was going to see this and i almost cried #in which jen is a broke college student #captain america #steve rogers #the smithsonian exhibit  


.

  
**The Smithsonian Institution** @thesmithsonian  
New Captain America exhibit opens July 4th [bit.ly/1vNK8xu](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/post/87726116420/1-the-howling-commandos-from-left-to-right-pvt) #HappyBirthdayCap

.

fight the land ( **fighttheland** ) wrote in **cap_news**

 **the captain america smithsonian exhibit opens in two weeks**

guys, the captain america smithsonian exhibit opens in two weeks! they have some photos up on their [website](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/post/87726116420/1-the-howling-commandos-from-left-to-right-pvt), and boy, do they not disappoint. they supposedly have some never-before-seen archives and sketchbooks as well as some photos which have never been released to the public, donated by the family of the late prof. jones. i am BESIDE MYSELF WITH EXCITEMENT, OMFG, YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW. and. AND! they’re inviting lynn anderson to give a talk on the opening day, which i’ll have to miss, unfortunately, bc we’re visiting my gf’s family in seattle, but if you’re able to attend, please, PLEASE, do. i heard her speak twice in the past, and both times it was an amazing experience. 

also, if there are any people from the d.c. area here, or someone who knows they’ll be coming to d.c. to see the exhibit, i was thinking we could meet up and go together at some later date, once the crowds get less crazy (bc you know there’ll be a line as long as the potomac the first few days/weeks). so if you’d like to meet up, let me know and i’ll arrange sth! (also, if you need somewhere to stay, i can offer a place on the couch for 2 ppl if you’re willing to bunk together). 

tags: event: exhibit, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


98 comments

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Do we know if Cap’s gonna attend?

Reply from **fighttheland**  
i know they’ve invited him, but i don’t think he’s coming. doesn’t really strike me like his kind of thing, since, as far as we know, he’s never actually liked the spotlight, so i doubt he’d actually want to participate in this. if this was only about bucky barnes/the howling commandos? he’d probably be the first in line, singing their praises. but since this is mostly about him? unlikely.

Reply from **thegreendot**  
That’s amazing! I was so hoping they would invite Lynn Anderson, given that her latest book has been generally very well-received (certain bitter individuals notwithstanding) and it’s still very recent, and they did! I went to see her deliver a lecture once, when she was still working at Brown, and she’s an excellent speaker, so I’d like to wholeheartedly second Allie’s recommendation. I’m going to be away on the opening weekend as well, but I’d love to meet up sometime later, though it’s probably going to be my second time around, because I have no impulse control, so obviously I’m planning on going to see it as soon as I come back. But no matter, no matter. Those photos look fantastic—are they really from Gabe Jones’ collection?

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Some of them supposedly are, yes. It’s really nice of Jones’ family to donate them (lend them?) to the museum. I’ve never seen that [last picture](http://i.imgur.com/otrYKxo.png) until now, and dear god, is it heartbreaking. Barnes looks at Cap like he hung the moon.

Reply from **figttheland**  
don’t even talk to me about this last pic. don’t even. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
I know. This looks like an amazing collection overall, but dear God. That last picture, it just slays me in the best possible ways. 

Expand **9 comments**

Reply from **blueskies**  
I definitely want to meet up! I’ll be in D.C. in early August, so how does that sound? And I’d love a place to sleep if you’re still offering, Allie. Until then, I just need to repeat to myself every day, over and over again, _you can do this, self, you can do this_. Because, fuck, I really need to treat myself after that shitstorm that’s currently happening at my workplace *lord give me strength*

And yes, that last picture. Oh my god. 

Expand **12 comments**  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, a couple of things:  
> 1) thank you for the lovely feedback, i'm so happy people are responding to this story so positively.  
> 2) i hope you guys enjoy this. as always, most of the links are clickable. :)  
> 3) since i couldn't find any info about the supposed name of the bridge where the fight between steve and bucky takes place, and since this obviously wasn't shot in d.c., i decided to make it a fictional MCU bridge. (if you have any idea what the in-universe name of the bridge is, though, please, message me and i'll change it immediately.)

[from: Maya Reid, _The Popular Life of Captain America. Steve Rogers in Popular Culture and Fandom Practice_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).]

**_Acknowledgments_ **

_I would like take this opportunity to extend my most sincere and grateful thanks to a few people without whom this book would have never been finished._

_This project has been a long time coming, and it has occupied the last three years of my life, during which I received continuous support from my most wonderful mentor and boss, Professor Alexander Lee, whom I can never thank enough. But I know I need to try, so: thank you. Thank you so much. Your steadfast support and your faith in me and my academic endeavors is what made this possible._

_To my dearest friend, Lynn E. Anderson, who has, over the years, shared with me the wealth of her research experience as well as her actual research findings, which continued to be a constant source of inspiration: thank you. Thank you for being there for me, at 4 a.m. on a weekend, while I was questioning everything, and most of all myself, to tell me that this was worth it. I cannot imagine this project without your input and guidance._

_Thank you to Michelle Mbatha, who suggested this topic to me at a conference in San Francisco four years ago. You are the fairy godmother to this _enfant terrible_ , and I am forever in your debt._

_Thank you to the university authorities at Columbia, who provided me with a research post and substantial funding which made it possible for me to work on this book for the last three years. I am forever grateful for your support._

_Thank you to the Smithsonian Institution for making their museum collections available to me for the purpose of further research._

_My greatest thank you to Captain Steve Rogers, who agreed to talk to me and taught me more in an hour than I learned during my three years of grad school._

_And, last but not least, thank you to Emily, who has been there for me for the last five years, always supporting me and my choice of career, which has taken us on an exciting ride all over the United States and, on one notable occasion, even to Canada. You have always believed in me and urged me to become a better scholar, a better person, and a better partner. So thank you. For everything._

.

pixel of green ( **always_angry** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**CASTING NEWS GALORE**

Talk about happy coincidences. Both _Carter_ and _The Howlers_ released some casting news today, along with some character posters (it’s funny how they both decided to go with the old-school look, one in sepia, one in b &w). 

So far we have:

_Carter:_  
— Romola Garai as [Peggy Carter](http://i.imgur.com/ZMHyzwV.png)  
— Armie Hammer as [Steve Rogers](http://i.imgur.com/vSkuAou.png)  
— Emile Hirsch as [Bucky Barnes ](http://i.imgur.com/CXage42.png)  
— James Franco (?!) as [Howard Stark](http://i.imgur.com/JA49QnM.png)

_The Howlers:_  
— Ryan McPartlin as [Steve Rogers](http://i.imgur.com/4v6AxBO.png)  
— Francois Arnaud as [Bucky Barnes](http://i.imgur.com/lFgIeVs.png)  
— Ruth Wilson as [Peggy Carter](http://i.imgur.com/xLOx7Wn.png)  
— Luke Evans as [Howard Stark](http://i.imgur.com/8sdrwqj.png)  
— Ken Leung as [James Morita](http://i.imgur.com/6QdxuS2.png)  
— Matthew Goode as [James Falsworth](http://i.imgur.com/zeN8WQr.png)  
— Sean Patrick Thomas as [Gabe Jones](http://i.imgur.com/eRgQoNg.png)

_[source 1] , [source 2]_

So, what do we think? I’m, frankly, baffled at James Franco as Howard Stark, in the sense that they shouldn’t even be able to get him, considering how busy his schedule is. I like the choice of Luke Evans much better, though. I was wondering for a moment if they would decide to cast a bit on the young side and go for Craig Horner, who is, let’s face it, a dead ringer for the good, old Howard, but apparently not. As for the rest: I like both choices for Peggy, prefer McPartlin to Hammer, and I’M STILL SCREAMING INTERNALLY ABOUT FRANCOIS AS BUCKY. OH MY GOD. THIS IS SUCH AN INSPIRED CHOICE. THIS BOY CAN SUFFER SO BEAUTIFULLY AND I AM HERE FOR THIS.

(Crossposted to a shitload of comms, sorry.)

tags: medium: tv, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


345 comments

Reply from **blueskies**  
RUTH WILSON. THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE GLORIOUS. That being said, I’m also surprised they cast James Franco as Stark in _Carter_ —was he even mentioned in any of the casting rumors posts? On the other hand, he does have the ego for it. Jury’s still out on Hirsch. I’ve only seen him in _Into the Wild_ , and I just wanted to punch his obnoxious, pretentious douchebag of a character throughout that entire painful experience, but that MIGHT have had more to do with the script and the general douchenozzlery of the character than with Hirsch’s acting. I fully approve of Arnaud, though. 

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I love that they picked Matthew Goode to play Falsworth. My favorite actor is playing my favorite Howling Commando. I like their picks for Morita and Jones, too. And now I’m waiting impatiently for Dum Dum.

Reply from **howlingcommando15**  
I hope they focus on the actual Commandos for once and not the Rogers/Carter romance. And I hope their portrayal of Cap’s friendship with Barnes stays true to the actual events. I think we all know what I’m talking about.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Don’t worry, there will be no ~icky gays~ to spoil your enjoyment of the series. But seriously, get over it. It’s been _months_ since that book came out, I think it’s time for you to find yourself a new hobby. 

Reply from **fighttheland**  
oh my god, it’s you again. and you’re still at it, like an outdated meme no one’s laughing at. christ.

Reply from **howlingcommando15**  
You’re so completely blinded by your ridiculous agenda that it’s not even funny anymore, just sad. All I want is a true portrayal of the people who are national icons (especially Cap) and who shouldn’t be subjected to such slander. You don’t even know how delusional you are, and that’s just pathetic but it is also your right, America is a free country after all, but don’t drag people who are role models to young Americans everywhere and who have been for decades into this. I hope Cap would just come out and say it: Lynn Anderson is _wrong_. I know he’s declined any comment to distance himself from this farce, but it won’t stop people from speculating, so I think he should publicly deny all such accusations. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
_Accusations_? _Slander_? Jesus Christ, do you even hear yourself? You know what, I’m done. I won’t convince you anyway, and this discussion is not doing my blood pressure and favors, so. EOT. 

Reply from **fighttheland**  
slander. dear god.

Reply from **annieblythe**  
I just wish they (including lynn anderson) would leave cap alone and stop speculating about his sexuality. it’s not about the “icky gays” for me, it’s about putting the pressure on him to react in SOME way. I don’t know about you, but I think people’s private life should stay private if they don’t want to disclose anything.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh, absolutely, and I’m not saying Cap should be forced to come out if that’s the case, and besides outing people is downright disgusting. But with Lynn Anderson’s book, the thing is that she had been working on this for a few years prior to Cap’s return, and the book had been already reviewed and in print by the time Cap’s return was revealed to the general public, so for all intents and purposes, she was writing about a historical figure. A dead one. And such historical analysis is, I think, subject to a different set of rules, so I highly doubt it was her intention to pry in any way into the life of a person who turned out to be very much alive. The timing was pretty unfortunate, though, I agree. So did her book contribute to the general atmosphere of obsessive curiosity about one’s sexuality perpetuated by the celebrity culture? Of course. Was it her intention to disrespect Cap’s right to privacy in a situation where he is still alive and can be pressured to take action or admit things he’d rather not admit? No. I understand where you’re coming from, though, and Cap’s right to privacy _is_ an important issue that definitely should be addressed. (I did try to start a discussion  here, if you’re interested.)

Expand **53 comments**

Reply from **quodscripsi**  
this will be interesting. i like that one of those is focused on a strong female role-model and the other one is more of an ensemble piece with characters who are usually relegated to the background and two of whom are poc (or at least i hope that is indeed the case), but they’re still two shows which aim to cover more or less the same events, timeline-wise, and i’m wondering if “carter” wouldn’t benefit from a slight fast-forward—then we could get the s.h.i.e.l.d. origin story and peggy as the first director and a founding member of the organization. on the other hand, a lot of that info is probably classified, so they probably couldn’t do that, which is a damn shame, because that would be one fascinating story. the casting for both looks solid, though. 

Expand **12 comments**  


.

  
**rogersthat**

> i finally got to see the captain america exhibit! and it was amazing! i’m back at the usc now, which sucks hairy balls, but at least i got to see my sis and my niece for a few days, and the three of us went together to see the exhibit. and guys? if you think the online tour does it justice? think again. (they added a few more photos to the gallery, though, so [check them out](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/post/91369986430/all-photos-are-currently-part-of-the-smithsonian).) they did an incredible job setting this up, and i was so, so pleased with the outcome. those archives and newsreels with cap and bucky broke my fucking heart, okay, it was all i ever dreamed of and more. i even [snapped](http://i.imgur.com/gxbuoO8.png) [a few](http://i.imgur.com/LthykH6.png) [pictures](http://i.imgur.com/WSO0HH2.png) (sorry for the shitty quality, my camera died on me the day before we were supposed to go to the smithsonian, because of course this is my fucking life, so these are from my phone).
> 
> and there’s just so. much. information. it’s a lot to take in in one go, so i’d definitely want to go back, but i probably won’t have the chance unless they make it a permanent exhibit. which, y’know, fingers crossed, because it’s been a few months now since the opening, and there was still a TON of people and a freaking enormous queue to even get in. but it was sooooooo worth it. i’m still mad i missed the lynn anderson talk, tho, because i heard it was amazing, but it’s supposed to be uploaded on the website at some point, i think? so it makes me feel a tiny bit better, because, seriously, my life keeps cockblocking me in all the worst ways.

#steve rogers #captain america #the smithsonian exhibit #in which jen is a happy camper for once #in which jen visits the family   


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what ails you ( **fisherkings** ) wrote in **spot_your_cap**

[Look at this happy little goober.](http://i.imgur.com/FYmSMOP.png) [Look at him.](http://i.imgur.com/JrcW4Gc.png) This was the second time I met Steve Rogers, and he was, once again, the kindest, most polite and amazing person you can imagine. 

We (my little brother and I) ran into him totally by accident. Earlier that day, we went to see the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian—first time for him, second time for me (and just as great as the first time round), and then we went for a walk and ended up at a lunch bar because my young padawan got hungry. And then, just as we were walking out, we _literally_ ran into Steve Rogers as he was on his way in. 

I knew my brother wanted to meet him since he was two (he used to leaf through my mother’s collection of old-school Cap comics until they practically fell apart) and Cap was still under the ice, but he was obviously in a hurry, so I didn’t want to bother him. But he must’ve heard my brother, protesting loudly and almost on the verge of tears, and he turned around, walked out, walked up to us, looked at my brother’s little shield (he’s a srs bsns fan, okay, a truly hardcore one, and he wanted to take it to the exhibit), crouched down next to him, shook his hand solemnly and told him that it was an honor to meet a true superhero. Then he asked if my brother wanted a picture. Above are the results. The little one got so shy after I took the first one, but Cap was so nice and gracious about the whole thing. 

I said that before and I’ll say it again: we already owe this man _so much_ , and yet he still continues to give and give, and give. It’s amazing, and it restores my faith in humanity just a little. (Then I turn on the tv to watch _The Daily Show_.)

tags: encounters, steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


27 comments

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Awww, I’ve already seen those on your Instagram, but they’re still almost too cute to exist. I’m so happy for your little brother (who is also, incidentally, almost too cute to exist). 

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I think I know which lunch bar you’re talking about, because I saw him there once as well. I don’t blame him, their curry chicken sandwiches are to die for and I’m addicted. And your brother is so cute! And so little! How big is the age gap, if you don’t mind my asking?

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Twenty-two years. _I know._

Expand **9 comments**  


.

[from: Lynn E. Anderson, _Captain America: Behind the Mask. Steve Rogers and the Contemporary Hero Narrative_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), p. 270.]

_ What seems crucial for the full understanding of Steve Rogers as a person and a national icon is the fact that, despite the constant attempts at controlling his hero narrative on the part of the government, he ultimately transgresses the intrinsically jingoistic roots of his public persona and eschews the nationalistic, exclusionary foundations of the discourse he has been made part of in the process of becoming Captain America. In embracing overtly those who have been denied the right to speak by the hegemonic system he is supposed to exemplify—personified by both James Morita and Gabriel Jones of the Howling Commandos, both of whom have been cited by Rogers himself to be indispensible members of the team and national heroes in their own right on numerous occasions—he not only distances himself from the dominant narrative perpetuated by the system, but also directly defies any attempts at imposing such restrictive interpretations of his role as Captain America and a national icon upon himself. _

_ In this sense, Captain America, through the very deliberate actions of Steve Rogers, manages to transcend the imperialist idea of America as the epitome of a modern, free country and the ultimate bringer of freedom—an idea which will become severely tested during the later conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, as well as the invasions on Afghanistan and Iraq—and actively _chooses_ to stand for universal freedom and equality, regardless of national or racial divides, one which strives to be inclusive instead of exclusionary. _

.

  
**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
Congratulations to my dear friend @mayareid for the amazing reviews! #ThePopularLifeOfCap

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson thank you so much! We should write the next one together :) #ThePopularLifeOfCap

**the wicked witch** @morganlefayy  
@mayareid i loved your book. such a good investigation of the fandom space. and so respectful to the fandom, too #ThePopularLifeOfCap

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**THE FANDOM ENQUIRER**

_**When Fandom Goes Mainstream: Captain America Fandom in the Academic Spotlight** _

By Zoe Baker on December 19, 2013

_It almost never ends well when the fourth wall comes crumbling down and the fans are exposed to the scrutiny of the mainstream entertainment industry and/or academia. We all remember the infamous Fandom Fail Fest of 2012, and I think we can all agree on one thing, regardless of our own feelings on the events that led up to it: let’s not do that again. So it’s understandable when fans view any new publications on the subject of fandom—and fanfiction in particular—with apprehension and suspicion. It has been a long-standing tradition to deride fandom as a largely female-oriented space in which all the rules governing mainstream entertainment are, in the immortal words of Captain Jack Sparrow, more what you’d call guidelines and definitely made to be broken._

_There have been, of course, good, insightful books on fandom in the past. It’s just that they’ve been very few and far between, and for every Farrah Masterson there are ten Clyde Lankins. It’s a fact fandom as a whole made peace with a good while ago. We get it. It’s almost 2014 and, to the rest of the world, we’re still the weirdos dressing up as fictional (or not so fictional) characters and writing about two (or more, if poly is your thing) fictional (or not so fictional) people having hot, steamy sex._

_So when Palgrave Macmillan announced they were publishing a book on Captain America in popular culture and fandom, many of us just sighed deeply as we braced ourselves for the inevitable. It’s never been easy for fandom to be accepted by the academia and the world at large as a legitimate cultural practice, and it is even more difficult for fandoms whose creative output relies on more or less straightforward Real Person Fiction. In the case of Captain America there are, of course, the comic books and the movies, and even a thankfully short-lived tv show back in the 1980s, but, as with many other fandoms based on real life people (see: _Band of Brothers_ or _Generation Kill_ ), the line between the real and the pretend can become extremely blurred at times. _

_But apparently ‘tis the season to be jolly and also pleasantly surprised. And I think I speak for all of us over at the Fandom Enquirer when I say we have never been so delighted to find out we were wrong. The author of the book, Maya Reid, an assistant professor at Columbia, known in the fannish circles as **professionalfangirl** , delivers one of the most comprehensive and compelling studies of the Captain America fandom to date and raises some really interesting and important issues regarding the fandom practice as a whole. If you want to read about the historical development of the Captain America fandom (it’s older than you might think!) as well as his presence in the landscape of popular culture without feeling like you’re looked down upon and they’re just laughing at you behind your back, this is a book for you. It’s hard to say whether it’s just because Maya Reid is, for all intents and purposes, and insider in the fandom circles, but this book _gets it_. It gets the spirit of the fandom, the whys and the hows. It gets why it’s important to us and why it’s important in the broader cultural context. It needs to be said, though, that if you expect nothing but blind phrase for the fandom, this is probably not the book you’re looking for. It doesn’t gloss over the bad, but it doesn’t gloss over the good either just to get to the weird and the creepy, as it often happens with academic or journalistic pieces on fandom. What it does instead is offer an honest analysis of the fandom mechanisms at the intersection between real life and popular cultural production._

_So if you’re still looking for the perfect Christmas present for your supernerdy significant other, or if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas present for _yourself_ , this is the book to get. Why are you still sitting here, then? Amazon (or other retailer of your choice) awaits!_

**88 comments**  


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pixel of green ( **always_angry** ) wrote in **superheroes_daily**

**_THE HOWLERS_ CASTING NEWS**

I come bearing more casting news for _The Howlers_. We already had all the chief players except for those two, so, without further ado, I present:

— Jean-Hugues Anglade as [Jacques Dernier](http://i.imgur.com/iZKWvQ1.png)  
— Nick Offerman as [Dum Dum Dugan](http://i.imgur.com/iATS858.png)

I genuinely thought they’d cast younger for those two, but I’m especially impressed that they managed to snag Jean-Hugues Anglade, because he doesn’t usually do projects in English (or for tv). But on the other hand, we’ll have someone who can actually SPEAK French. And I guess now we know why some paps spotted Offerman leaving a gym with what looked like a personal trainer a while back. He’s most probably getting in shape for this. 

In other, somewhat related news (because it’s **superheroes_daily** and Pepper Potts is and forever will be the greatest superhero in my heart): CONGRATULATIONS TO PEPPER POTTS FOR MAKING IT INTO THE TOP FIVE OF WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE ACCORDING TO _THE TIME_ MAGAZINE AND MAKING THE U.S. COVER! I am so happy for her, I can’t think of another person who deserves it so much. The issue comes out in two weeks, on April 4.

tags: dum dum dugan, jacques dernier, pepper potts, television  
_____________________________________  


127 comments

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Huh. Interesting picks. I’m not so sure about Offerman. I mean, he could work, and he’s a good actor (and he certainly has the mustache for it), but I can’t really imagine him as Dum Dum. I thought they’d cast him younger, too. I don’t think I’ve seen Anglade in anything apart from _Queen Margot_ approximately a million years ago, but from what I gather, he’s a really good actor. This makes me hopeful that maybe the Commandos will actually have substantial roles in the show and won’t be just window dressing for the Cap story. No offense, Cap, but it’s been done. I want to get to know these guys now.

Reply from **always_angry**  
Oh, totally. The fact that they’re casting fairly recognizable names for the Commandos and not some total unknowns makes me believe they’re planning on really shifting their focus to the Commandos as a unit, not just as Captain America’s sidekicks. I am so here for this. Give me all the brotherly bonding and trust and camaraderie, because if you look at the newsreels or the photos or any other archives, it really seems like they were very, very close, all of them, including Cap. 

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I’m really wondering if Cap will watch it. On the one hand, it looks so promising. On the other hand, it must be so weird, watching a show about your own life. On the third (?) hand—I can’t imagine watching this and knowing all those people I still remember as well as if it was yesterday are now long dead. (Well, apart from Peggy.)

Reply from **blueskies**  
Wow, thanks for this, now I’m sad. It’s funny how sometimes we sit here and nitpick everything, and don’t even realize this was his life just two years ago, at least for him. It must be such a bizarre experience. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Yes, congratulations to Pepper Potts! I’m still a little disappointed she didn’t top the list, but still, top five is an _amazing_ achievement. 

Expand **30 comments**  


.

  
**The Smithsonian Institution** @thesmithsonian  
We are happy to announce that the Captain America exhibit is here to stay #CapAtSmithsonian

.

  
**rogersthat**

> guys? i just saw some posts saying that there’s something happening in d.c.? can anyone tell me what’s going on? my sis is at work and she’s probably in surgery right now, so she’s not picking up her phone.

#in which jen is slightly concerned #please? #talk to me? #the internet is not telling me anything yet

 

**rogersthat**

>   
>  **the-big-red-riding-hood** said:  
>  there’s supposedly been a massive car pile-up somewhere downtown? idk, i’m in in hillcrest and my friend just texted me about this.

  


> thank you for messaging me. oh my god, that’s terrible. do we know if there are any fatalities? i guess tv and the internet are just now getting wind of this

#ask #the-big-red-riding-hood

 

**rogersthat**

>   
>  **madasahatter** said:  
>  Okay, so, don’t freak out, but there has been a massive car accident as a result of a shooting/bomb in downtown D.C. We still don’t know what really happened but people say a government SUV blew up? This might be just a rumor though, we don’t know for sure at the moment.

  


> jesus christ. i need to get to a tv/computer asap. i’m blogging from my phone and no one is talking about this here. not yet anyway.

#ask #madasahatter

 

**rogersthat**

> jesus, thank god, my sister finally managed to get in touch with me. they’re safe and unharmed. there really was an attack in downtown d.c., it wasn’t just an accident, it was a fucking BOMB strapped to a car, or at least that’s the official version for now. they’re still looking for the attacker, but several people were saying they saw a masked guy in pseudo-military gear at the scene but no one has any fucking idea what he really looks like, so it’s like they’re looking for a ghost? what the fuck. just. what the fuck. i hope they catch this fucking psycho, and soon.

#dc bombing #personal #i’m still shaking on the inside   


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**Vee** @thegreendot  
WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED. WHAT. THE. FUCK. #CaptainAmerica

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@thegreendot What? What’s going on? 

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings They’re saying Cap went AWOL and he’s become a threat to national security. 

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings JESUS CHRIST, WHAT. What the hell is happening? This is fucking insane. WHAT.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @carrterrs I don’t know, I can’t even wrap my head around it, but this can’t be true.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
OH MY GOD, THEY’RE SAYING HE’S NOW CONSIDERED EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND THERE’S AN ORDER TO SHOOT ON SIGHT. JESUS CHRIST I’M GONNA CRY.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@thegreendot I… I actually have no words for this. What is happening? What is the government doing? Is it SHIELD?

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings This supposedly comes directly from the World Security Council. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON.

.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**CAPTAIN AMERICA UPDATE**

As you probably already know, a few hours ago Captain America has been declared a fugitive wanted by the U.S. government, armed and extremely dangerous, and an order has been issued to shoot on sight. They’re also saying he killed a bunch of SHIELD agents when they tried to apprehend him. 

It’s possible that this is somehow connected with the recent bombing in downtown D.C. and the masked assailant who fled the scene and has not been found as of yet, but we have next to no information except for the statement from Alexander Pierce of the World Security Council. Which tells us nothing. 

I’m still in shock. And I don’t think I’m the only one. This is so absolutely _unbelievable_ in every possible way that I’m still waiting for someone to tell me this has been a sick belated April Fool’s joke. But I don’t think that’s happening. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around this. I just— This is madness.

_sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]_

tags: person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


1845 comments

Reply from **anonymouse**  
see this is exactly why this masked vigilantism crap has to stop.

Reply from **fighttheland**  
fuck you. fuck. you. how fucking dare you. and yes, this is so brave of you, lj user **anonymouse**. you fucking hypocrite. who is this steve rogers guy anyway? oh, yes, he’s CAPTAIN FUCKING AMERICA. we’ve known that all along. there is no masked anything, jesus fucking christ. and vigilantism? he worked for SHIELD, you goddamn fucking moron. 

can we, please, freeze this thread before they spew any more of this shit?

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Frozen. Christ.

Reply from **callinda**  
This must be some catastrophic misunderstanding of cosmic proportions. Or otherwise someone is setting him up. I refuse to believe this is for real even for a second.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
If this is indeed what is happening, then the question is _who_ is setting him up. And if we think about this for a moment, there are two possibilities (in general, I’m not talking about specific individuals). And I don’t know which one of those scares me more.

Reply from **starksandstripes**  
i— i haven’t even thought of that before. christ.

Expand **54 comments**  


.

_** CAPTAIN AMERICA A TRAITOR? ** _

For more live coverage, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

  
**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
This is a travesty of justice. And the editors at @thedailybugle should be ashamed of themselves #CaptainAmericaIsNotATraitor

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson I refuse to believe any of it is even remotely true. It makes absolutely no sense. #CaptainAmericaIsNotATraitor

.

  
**aliaoftheknife**

> wait, so cap is in the wind now? whats happening? do they really have orders to shoot on sight? what. is. happening. WTF

#captain america #steve rogers

 

**aliaoftheknife**

>   
>  **rogersthat** said:  
>  they’re authorized to use heavy force, and supposedly they CAN shoot on sight, but not to kill, just to subdue? this is so fucked up, oh my god.

  


> thanks for clearing this up. this is unfuckingbelievable.

#ask #rogersthat #captain america #stever rogers

 

**aliaoftheknife**

>   
>  **natashabarton** said:  
>  They can shoot, but they’re not supposed to kill him. Good luck catching him tho. And some people said he’s with the Black Widow, so, again: GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. And I’m betting all that stuff about those dead SHIELD agents is bull.

  


> do we know ANYTHING, though? about what really happened? it’s been almost 24 hours since the news broke out. and i dont believe it either, about the SHIELD agents but i REALLY want to know how that went down, and i bet im not the only one

#ask #natashabarton #steve rogers #captain america   


.

  
**Connie** @fighttheland  
GUYS THERE ARE REPORTS OF SOME MANIAC SHOOTING UP THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE, PLEASE, PLEASE, STAY SAFE #DCAttack

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland What? Oh my god, this is just like New York all over again, I don’t believe this is happening… 

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland Jesus, girls, stay safe, okay? Where are you?

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@thegreendot @fighttheland I’m at work, I was supposed to get out early, but I’m staying put.

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings @thegreendot i’m at home, stomach flu. i was watching tv and then it was all over the news. jesus fuck

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings @fighttheland FUCK FUCK I’M STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON MY WAY TO THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings @fighttheland There’s no way I can turn back now, it’s traffic jam from hell and I don’t think (tbc.)

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings @fighttheland (ctd.) people know what’s going on bc I can see no panic. Fuck I’m shaking.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@carrterrs @fisherkings @fighttheland Oh my god, please, stay safe. How far from the bridge are you?

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings @fighttheland a mile, maybe a bit more.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@carrterrs @thegreendot @fighttheland Please, keep us updated. It’s gonna be fine, ok?

.

  
**rogersthat**

> fuck, fuck, there’s been another attack in d.c., some sick fuck started shooting people on the roosevelt bridge, and people say captain america was there, fighting him, and that’s the route my sister takes to work and now she’s not picking up her phone and i’m panicking

#i think im about to have a real panic attack #fuck im crying 

.

_** THE FALL OF THE HERO: CAPTAIN AMERICA UNDER ARREST  ** _

For more live coverage, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**ANOTHER CAPTAIN AMERICA UPDATE / MEMBER CHECK-IN**

This probably cannot get any worse at this point. As you know, there has been another attack in D.C.—a few hours ago, a masked man started shooting on the Roosevelt Bridge, killing at least 28 people. The body count might still go up, they’re not done with the clean-up yet. 

Now we can strongly suspect that his target was most probably Captain America, along with the Black Widow and another unknown man. 

Also, according to the reports (which seem to be legit), following the fight on the bridge, Captain America was apprehended by a S.H.I.E.L.D. strike team and he is now arrested pending charges. What charges? 

Well, WHO THE FUCK KNOWS. It’s not like they tell us anything. It’s all still shady as hell.

_sources: [1], [2], [3]_

That’s one thing. The other thing is: we know we have a lot of members from the D.C. area in this community. Please, if you can, check in and tell us you’re okay. 

tags: person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


2483 comments

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I’m still shaken up as fuck, but I got home safe and unharmed. I still can’t believe this is happening. 

Expand **101 comments**  


.

  
**rogersthat**

> my sister is okay, thank fucking god, i’m so relieved i could cry. she was already at the hospital when it all started and they got most of the casualties from the bridge massacre so she didn’t leave the OR for like fifteen hours straight. 
> 
> they still haven’t found the motherfucker who did that.

#thank fucking god #i can’t take this anymore please let this be over   


.

  
**The Smithsonian Institution** @thesmithsonian  
The Captain America suit has been stolen from the Captain America exhibit. It’s suspected it is the work of a possible imposter.

.

  
**Connie** @fighttheland  
GUYS YOU NEED TO GET ON THE INTERNET ASAP. EVERYTHING KEEPS CRASHING, TOO MUCH TRAFFIC, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT. #SHIELDFiles

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland Jesus, I can’t access ANYTHING and twitter keeps dying. What’s happening?! 

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings SHIELD IS HYDRA, BASICALLY. there are files uploaded on the internet, it looks legit, this is terrifying #SHIELDFiles

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland I can’t believe this is happening. Everything keeps crashing. How much did they upload?

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings @thegreendot EVERYTHING. at least that’s what it looks like. there’s way too much to process, it’s TERABYTES of data.

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@thegreendot @fisherkings @fighttheland Jesus Christ. I’m feeling sick.

**feelin’ blue** @blueskies  
ARE YOU SEEING THIS? #SHIELDFiles

**always angry** @pixelofgreen  
WHAT THE FUCK IS EVEN HAPPENING. are we sure this is not a joke? #SHIELDFiles

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@pixelofgreen It looks real. All the news outlets are reporting this. Also: Facebook is dead. Reddit is dead. Tumblr is dead.

**always angry** @pixelofgreen  
@fisherkings christ

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@pixelofgreen “Christ” sounds about right. How are we even supposed to feel safe after this? #SHIELDFiles

.

  
**frecklygal**

> FUCK FUCK DID A HELICARRIER JUST CRASH INTO THE TRISKELION? FUCK I’M TERRIFIED I LIVE LIKE TEN BLOCKS AWAY JESUS CHRIST. 
> 
> It’s all over the news, but nobody knows anything for sure. Everything keeps crashing after someone at SHIELD uploaded the data and they’re saying Captain America is possibly aboard one of the helicarriers? Will they start evacuation now? I’m trying to check some websites, but they keep timing out, this is terrifying, oh my god.

#i’m actually terrified #this is unreal #dc attacks

 

**frecklygal**

>   
>  **rosettis** said:  
>  I’m in London and it’s all over the news here, too. Please, stay safe.

  


> I have never been so afraid in my entire life. Oh my god.

#ask #rosettis   


.

_** HYDRA INFILTRATES S.H.I.E.L.D., ALEXANDER PIERCE A TRAITOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA PRESUMED DEAD ** _

For more live coverage, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

  
**rogersthat**

> guys, there are reports saying that captain america went down with the third helicarrier. at the moment he is presumed dead, but they have units searching the potomac. 
> 
> i’m crying.

#steve rogers #captain america #dc attacks   


.

  
**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
Captain America is presumed dead. It’s not just @thedailybugle this time. The information seems legitimate bit.ly/1jlQvox #CaptainAmerica

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
The search for #CaptainAmerica continues: http://bit.ly/1ckcXew  


.

_** CITY IN SHOCK AFTER H.Y.D.R.A. ATTACK AND DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA ** _

Read more over at **D.C. News Online**.

.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**IMPORTANT!!!**

He’s alive.

_posted via mobile app_

tags: person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


3005 comments


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh my god, it's done. i'm so, so sorry for the size of this monster, it was supposed to be 15k tops, but apparently i couldn't be concise to save my life, so.  
> once again, thank you for the amazing feedback, you guys are the best.  
> and, as always, most of the links are clickable. i also decided to add a very short epilogue, i hope you like it.

[from: Lynn E. Anderson, _Captain America: Behind the Mask. Steve Rogers and the Contemporary Hero Narrative_ (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), p. 273.]

_ In conclusion, there can be little doubt that Captain America—the hero and the national icon, as opposed to Steve Rogers, the man from Brooklyn—has been instrumental in the creation of the contemporary hero narrative even after his death, and as such, has been subject to the inevitable process of mythologization to become ultimately recreated as a hegemonic narrative rather than a person, thus engendering a very particular approach to his public persona, which has since then permeated the academic debate concerning his status as a national hero as well as the hero narrative his persona has inspired. _

_ It is by no means incidental that the increased efforts to revive the interest in Captain America comic books and other paraphernalia have always coincided with a period of civil unrest related to a devastating conflict in which the United States engaged at the time, be it Korea or Vietnam, or, more recently, Afghanistan and Iraq. This particular narrative, created and upheld by the government propaganda apparatus, emphasizes the necessity of a righteous war and sacrifice at the same time as it creates a visibly Othering dichotomy of Us vs. Them, in which Us stands for the white, heterosexual and overwhelmingly male presence, whereas Them denotes the undesirables relegated to the peripheries: the Other, the alien, the not-white. The not-Us. As Kajal Singh remarks in “Hero For the Ages: Captain America and the Iraq War Propaganda,” “[t]he main problem with the prolonged use of the Captain America hero narrative to justify the war in Iraq is that, in reinforcing the colonial Self-Other binary, it fundamentally opposes everything that Rogers himself is known to have stood for. The use of the Captain America imagery in Operation Iraqi Freedom, then, stands as the prime example of a blatant manipulation on the part of the government propaganda apparatus and reinforces the hegemonic narrative of the contemporary hero, exemplified by Steve Rogers’ public persona” (37). _

_ To question his heterosexuality, then, and to imply that his relationship with James Barnes transgressed the boundaries of friendship, is to fundamentally undermine the narrative perpetuated by the American propaganda machine for more than seventy years, to destroy one of the pillars of the modern hero narrative in America, and to implode the assumptions of the mutual exclusiveness of stereotypical masculinity and queerness which have for a long time served as the basis for exclusionary practices in the American society. And in the end, the refusal to consider the possibility that Captain America might, indeed, fall somewhere on the queer spectrum is the refusal to admit that, ultimately, Captain America might be one of Them, instead of one of Us. _

.

  
**what ails you** @fisherkings  
Natasha Romanoff is testifying on Capitol Hill as we speak. You can watch it on C-SPAN. #DCHearing

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings holy shit, they don’t even realize how hard they’re being owned right now. also, wow, did tony stark call that one.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland You mean about the suit thing a few years back? Refusing to hand them over to the government? Yeah, hindsight is 20/20. 

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland Yeah, once again, saved by Tony Stark’s ego. Also, this smackdown is glorious to watch. Go Widow. 

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland @thegreendot Do we know if they’re planning on dragging Cap to the Hill, too?

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings @thegreendot they asked. he told them to fuck off. i have a feeling they’re not gonna ask next time.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland I bet the subpoena is being written as we speak. I don’t blame him, though. Not after that clusterfuck. 

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@fisherkings Wow, she’s not fucking around, is she. 

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@carrterrs Nope. What’s the worst thing that could happen, though, really. She’s already burned all her bridges. 

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@carrterrs So if I were her, I’d do the same thing. They could do with a little cold, hard truth. 

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@fisherkings I just love their faces. Truth hurts, doesn’t it. 

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@carrterrs @fisherkings oh my god, yes, this is priceless. new role model right here.

.

_** MASKED ASSAILANT CAUGHT ON CAMERA. D.C. ATTACKS—ACT OF TERRORISM OR GOVERNMENT COVER-UP? ** _

For more news, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

_** FIRST PHOTO OF THE D.C. SHOOTER SURFACES FOLLOWING THE CAPITOL HILL HEARING ** _

Read more over at **D.C. News Online**.

.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**MORE D.C.-RELATED NEWS**

You’ve probably seen it already, because it’s been all over the news this morning, but apparently someone managed to get the D.C. shooter on camera, and now there’s a [clear photo](http://i.imgur.com/q7JuYQF.png). You can’t see much, because he’s masked, but it’s still more than we had a few days ago. 

They’re trying to identify him and they’re still searching for him, but it’s like they’re chasing a ghost. They don’t know anything about that guy, apart from the fact that he was with H.Y.D.R.A. and there’s nothing in the files uploaded by Natasha Romanoff. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Which means this guy’s existence was probably classified to hell and back, and, for once, they left nothing to trace back to him. I don’t know about you, but I’m not feeling very reassured right now. 

We now also know the name of the man who fought with Cap and Widow during the attack: Sam Wilson. He’s the one you can see in some of the footage flying the winged suit. Look that guy up, he’s amazing. (Also, I created a tag for him, because I have a feeling it’s not the last time we hear of him.)

[source]

tags: event: dc attacks, person: sam wilson  
_____________________________________  


334 comments

Reply from **carrterrs**  
It terrifies me that this man is still somewhere out there. Do we know for sure that he didn’t go down with the third helicarrier? 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
As far as I know, he’s still at large. They were looking for the body for a long time, but they didn’t find anything and later on it’s been confirmed that he managed to get out of this alive. How, I have no idea. Do we think they were experimenting with the Erskine serum, too? H.Y.D.R.A., I mean.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
I wouldn’t rule it out. You’ve seen some of the footage. I know it’s mostly grainy and blurred, because they pulled it mainly from the CCTV cameras, but some of that stuff doesn’t look like the work of a highly-trained agent with no additional enhancements. He tore a car door off its hinges like it was nothing, for god’s sake. (I know it’s been almost a week, but this is still absolutely _terrifying_.)

Reply from **blueskies**  
Fuck. That makes me feel SO MUCH better. Not. 

Seriously, though, guys, I hope that’s the last of it and they catch that psycho Nazi soon. I can’t even imagine how it must feel for all of you over in D.C. right now.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
It’s slowly returning back to normal. As normal as you can expect while there are still people pulling what’s left of the helicarriers out of the Potomac (and the Triskelion). There’s a lot of wreckage but it’s nothing compared to New York, so there’s that at least. Small graces. 

Reply from **quodscripsi**  
this needs to stop. first new york, now this, and let’s not forget all that shit that happened in between in greenwich etc. i went to a conference in europe and when i came back, half of my apartment building was destroyed. i could get inside to get some of my stuff, but now i’m camping out on a couch at a friend’s place, because, essentially, i have nowhere to live and it’s gonna be a while before i get the insurance money.

Reply from **blueskies**  
Jesus. This is horrible, I’m so sorry. If you ever need anything, just ask, ok? I live in NY at the moment, but if there’s anything I can do…

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Jesus Christ, that’s horrifying. If you ever need a lawyer to help you with your insurance claim or anything else, just message me, all right? I know sometimes the insurance companies do everything they can to avoid paying insurance for any superhero-related damage and that’s bullshit, not to mention illegal. So if they give you any trouble, message me and I’ll rain fire and brimstone on their collective asses. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god, I’m so, so sorry to hear that. I know of an available apartment lease in my building if you wanted to rent something until you get back on your feet (from what I understand, you own the apartment?). It’s not very expensive for D.C. standards, it’s a nice building, and I’m sure you could arrange something with the owners when it comes to payment; I know them personally and they’re very reasonable people, so message me if you’re interested, okay?

Reply from **quodscripsi**  
you guys are the absolute best. i have no words. 

ruth, i already sent you a private message via lj, and i’d be EXTREMELY interested. thank you so much, oh my god.

Expand **32 comments**  


.

**THE FANDOM ENQUIRER**

_**Oh Captain, My Captain! The Avengers Meet and Greet to Proceed Without Captain America** _

By Audrey Masterson on May 10, 2014

_Bad news for all the Captain America fans who planned to get a moment with their favorite superhero during the Avengers Meet and Greet next Saturday (May 17, 2014). It has been confirmed that, following the D.C. attacks that shocked the nation a few weeks ago, Captain America cancelled his appearance at the official Avengers event in May._

_It will be also the first event since the tradition started, hot on the heels of the Battle of New York, that Cap will not attend. The spokesperson for the Avengers PR team cited urgent obligations of a personal nature and refused any further comment on the matter._

_The rest of the line-up remains unchanged: Iron Man/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Bruce Banner/Hulk and Thor will all be in attendance. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow has already confirmed that she will not attend._

**37 comments**  


.

  
**rogersthat**

> because this is way too amusing not to share: turns out captain america stole his own uniform from the smithsonian. under the link, there’s a short interview with the guard who was on duty when the uniform was stolen from the exhibit.
> 
> the tl;dr version: the guard was sure he would lose his job, especially if it turned out he let some imposter nutjob steal the uniform to pretend he was captain america in the midst of all that chaos, but then cap came to explain and to apologize, and he made sure everything was okay and the guy wouldn’t get sacked. and he also got a photo out of this, and the opportunity to tell cap that his older brother fought in the 107th during the war and knew bucky barnes. cap apparently got a little choked up. can’t blame him.
> 
> unfortunately, the original uniform has been ruined during the d.c. attacks, but they will make a replica.

#in which jen is amused #steve rogers #captain america #stan the smithsonian guard   


.

_** SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE OF CAPTAIN AMERICA—SHOULD WE BE WORRIED? ** _

For more news, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

  
**thelambofcolumbia**

> so you know how i live in buttfuck, nowhere, how my family owns a diner and nothing ever happens here? well, my friends, that is no longer the case.
> 
> so get this, i’m at the diner today, it’s the middle of my shift, the ac is broken and the temperature slowly approaches SATAN’S ASSCRACK, bc summer doesn’t fuck around in these parts, so i’m mostly sweating and generally dying, when this guy comes in, and i shit you not, he looks like a fucking greek statue. and not gonna lie, my jaw might have dropped a little, because he was wearing just some jeans and a white tank top about two sizes too small, which, bless you, you beautiful soul, i really needed that today. but anyway, he sits down and looks around the place suspiciously, so i get my ass over there and hand him the menu, ask him what he wants. he orders a burger with fries, and a slice of cherry pie, and then, just as i’m about to get back to the kitchen, he asks me if we had any new regulars lately. weird, right? so i ask him why, what business is it of his, and he tells me he’s looking for someone and he heard that someone might’ve started coming here lately, and if i could just tell him, please. and i’m like, pal, i have no idea what your deal is, but i ain’t telling you squat, because what are you, the police? and he’s like, well, no, and please, don’t tell anyone, but i’m an avenger, does that count?
> 
> so i’m like, lol, sure you are, peaches, but i knew he looked sorta familiar from the moment he walked in, so i take a closer look (i wasn’t really looking at the face, okay, SHUT UP) and, well, FUCK ME SIDEWAYS, IT’S CAPTAIN FUCKING AMERICA IN ALL HIS MUSCLED GLORY. 
> 
> so i’m like, welp, okay. ITS CAPTAIN AMERICA, OKAY. the guy who was single-handedly responsible for my sexual awakening in the tenth grade /tmi 
> 
> and there was this guy who was coming to the diner for a while, some vet, looked like, not very talkative and pretty fucked up from the look of it (i know about that, okay, my brother did three tours in afghanistan), but he hasn’t been in for more than a week so i thought he might’ve already left town. so i told him that, and he asked me sth about a hand, but i had no idea bc the guy was always wearing long sleeves and gloves even when it was, like, 100 degrees outside, so i told him that, too, and it made him really happy for some reason, idk. anyway, i asked him for a pic and he said yes, and he was just the sweetest guy ever, and i hope he finds that guy he was looking for, but. GUYS. CAPTAIN. FUCKING. AMERICA. IN. MY. DINER. I CAN’T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS.

#S C R E A M I N G #OH MY GOD #captain america #steve rogers #WELL FUCK ME   


.

  
**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
Captain America has been subpoenaed by the Senate Committee to account for the D.C. attacks bit.ly/1dNVPAW #CapHearing

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson What are they even looking for at this point? The investigation has been already concluded. 

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@mayareid My guess? It’s about the shooter. Cap fought him on the helicarrier, and they’re getting desperate, still have no idea who he is.

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson You’re probably right, but if he had any information, he would’ve come forward a long time ago.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson Maybe they’re trying to prove, well, something, I don’t know. It’s been really weird after the attacks.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson But I think they’re very uncomfortable with the amount of influence Cap/the Avengers have over the public.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson It’s like they’re cultivating this really weird atmosphere of completely unfounded paranoia.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson And it’s working, at least on Capitol Hill. Some of the press is getting affected, too.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@m_mbatha @mayareid True. And Cap has been very quiet for months now, that doesn’t help either.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@m_mbatha @mayareid Even if it’s because he’s been dealing with some personal matters and the move to NY.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@thelynnanderson @mayareid True. We’ll see, I guess.

.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**CAP WILL BE COMING BACK TO D.C. FOR THE COMMITTEE HEARING**

It’s been confirmed that Cap will be coming back to D.C. next week to attend the hearing in front of the Senate Committee and answer questions regarding the D.C. attacks.

Frankly, I’m sort of surprised that it’s taken them this long to subpoena him, it’s been MONTHS since the attacks. But whatever. The hearing will be public, and C-SPAN will be showing it live, mostly because they know what’s good for their ratings, I suppose. Ruth already promised she’d stream it for the people who can’t watch it on tv or on the C-SPAN website for some reason, so we can have a watch post. 

[source]

tags: event: dc attacks, events: dc hearing, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


247 comments

Reply from **always_angry**  
This has the potential to be a total clusterfuck. Depending on the attitude of the committee members, I guess, but given their track record, well… Cap is not Stark or Widow, but if they think he’s some wilting flower who can be intimidated into taking part in this dog and pony show without any resistance, well, they’re in for a huge surprise. It’s like they don’t watch the news at all. Or don’t read history books. Cap is not big on rules and regulations if they interfere with what he thinks is the right thing to do, they should know that by now. So yeah. I’m fully prepared they’re gonna get their asses handed to them on a silver platter. Shield. Whatever.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
You’re right, but I also saw some tweets some time ago that said it looked like they were setting him up to fail, and I agree there’s something strange going on. Obviously, they’re going to ask about the shooter, since Cap was the only one who fought him up-close, but at the same time it’s like they’re waiting for him to trip up _somewhere_ so that they have solid proof that, I don’t know, people like Cap are dangerous? That _Cap_ is dangerous and not to be trusted? That they should be put in jail? They tried that during the Widow hearing and look how it turned out, but I don’t think they’re above trying again, aiming where it really hurts. We all know the D.C. attacks have really affected Cap and there’s been _something_ going on behind the scenes that the public don’t know about, and they’re not above using this knowledge, I’m just wondering how much do they really know. And I guess it’s all going to depend on what Cap can tell them that they still don’t know and how much of that do they really want to hear.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Frankly, I just want this whole thing to be over. It’s exhausting for everyone.

Expand **17 comments**  


.

  
**Unofficial Avengers Daily** @unofficialavengers  
#CaptainAmerica arrives with #BlackWidow in D.C. for the committee hearing. Check it out on our #Instagram: [bit.ly/1ooZM2o](http://i.imgur.com/BiaNwzV.png)  


.

  
**Connie** @fighttheland  
DROP WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU’RE DOING AND TURN ON C-SPAN RIGHT FUCKING NOW. stream here, for those who need it: bit.ly/1x0mrmv #CapHearing

.

what ails you ( **fisherkings** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**D.C. HEARING WATCH POST**

As promised, here is the link to the stream. If there are any problems, please, let me know, and I’ll fix them immediately. 

As always with watch posts in this community, anon comments are turned off, it’s strictly logged in users only.

tags: event: dc attacks, events: dc hearing, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


9172 comments

Reply from **always_angry**  
Here goes nothing.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Is everything okay with the stream? It should start in about five minutes, so if something’s not working, I still have time to fix it. 

Reply from **lizzie_dewitt**  
everything okay on my end.

Reply from **theargonian**  
yup, everything’s fine.

Expand **17 comments**  


Reply from **blueskies**  
Well, he looks like he absolutely doesn’t want to be there.

Reply from **always_angry**  
Do you blame him, though?

Reply from **blueskies**  
Nope. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
I can’t believe they just asked him that right off the bat, holy fuck. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
If someone had any doubts as to whether this was something else rather than a complete and utter farce, I guess they got their answer. You can tell they’d love nothing more than to put all the Avengers under lock and key, or at least those who used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D., because I strongly doubt Tony Stark or Thor, or, well _Hulk_ would take kindly to this suggestion.

Reply from **watchtheskies**  
omg, this is fucking ridiculous. 

Reply from **capsicle84**  
lol, the looks on their faces are fucking precious. what did they expect, that cap’d just roll over like the good puppy he is and let them walk all over him? lol

Reply from **carrterrs**  
So I’m at work and I can’t watch the stream, what’s happening?

Reply from **fighttheland**  
they’re asking him dumb questions and he looks pissed, but, like, in a polite way. for now. they asked him if he’s sure he followed the proper protocol and containment procedures as delineated by SHIELD. for real. SHIELD. which, y’know, WAS INFILTRATED BY HYDRA AT THE TIME. what a bunch of fucking morons, oh my god.

Reply from **farrah_s**  
Jesus, my piece of shit internet keeps freezing the stream, it’s driving me nuts, THIS IS THE WORST TIME TO BE DOING THIS, YOU PIECE OF CRAP.

Expand **22 comments**

Reply from **always_angry**  
Oho, here we go.

Reply from **blueskies**  
Well, that took them, like, no time at all. 

Reply from **fighttheland**  
for those who can’t watch the stream: they’re asking him about the shooter.

Reply from **fighttheland**  
WHAT. WHAT. WHAT THE FUCK.

Reply from **watchtheskies**  
jesus christ what the actual fuck

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god, is he saying what I think he’s saying?

Reply from **captainbromance**  
WHAT

Reply from **jokersmom**  
WHAT THE FCK

Reply from **carrterrs**  
What? What’s going on?

Reply from **farrah_s**  
Guys, the stream froze again, what’s happening?

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Holy fuck. Holy fuck. This isn’t happening, is it. Holy fuck.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
WHAT. WHAT’S GOING ON.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
He’s saying the D.C. shooter is someone called the Winter Soldier. He’s also saying the Winter Soldier is Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Jesus Christ.

Expand **77 comments**

Reply from **captainbromance**  
has he lost it?

Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
But it’s impossible. Barnes is dead, he died back in 1945. Cap _literally saw him die_. What the hell is going on there.

Reply from **raypersonjr**  
IS THIS A JOKE? WHAT THE FUCK?

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Does he have an explanation for this? Are they not asking him about this?

Reply from **thegreendot**  
It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Just. Stunned silence. This is unreal. 

Expand **263 comments**  


Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god. Megan, to answer your question—yes, he does have an explanation. I kind of wish he didn’t, though. It’s— I have no words to describe this. Jesus Christ.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god. Oh my god, this is horrifying. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
I feel sick. 

Reply from **watchtheskies**  
i’m crying, oh god. i can’t even listen to this, i think i need to go away for a moment.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Can you tell me what he’s saying?

Reply from **quodscripsi**  
this just keeps getting worse with every sentence. how is this getting worse. HOW.

Reply from **always_angry**  
I’m just sort of watching this in stunned silence, so the short version is: apparently Barnes, after he fell from the train, was found by H.Y.D.R.A. operatives, pumped full of the knock-off Erskine serum, brainwashed and made into an assassin. They also amputated his arm and gave him a metal one. He’s been with H.Y.D.R.A. ever since, and they forced him to kill for them, mostly high-profile targets. He was, essentially, their weapon. 

He was like a fucking THING to them. This makes me so fucking furious, you have no idea.

Expand **241 comments**  


Reply from **thegreendot**  
He’s been a POW for the last _70 years_. Jesus Christ. This means he’s been essentially _tortured_ for close to a century. I feel physically sick. Christ. 

Reply from **carrterrs**  
How has he not aged, though? Because in those photos he didn’t look old at all.

Reply from **always_angry**  
Wait a sec, they just asked him about this.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh god. Apparently they kept him frozen between the missions. In cryogenic suspension. Can you imagine how horrifyingly imperfect that sort of technology must have been back in the 40s./50s.? Can you imagine the amount of physical and mental damage that would come with this? 

I’m literally speechless. There are no words to convey the amount of horror and disgust I’m feeling right now.

Reply from **barnes-and-rogers**  
wait so he was frozen like cap?

Reply from **jmason**  
no, bc cap was frozen that entire time, and bucky was frozen and unfrozen over and over again, and do you have any idea how much that must damage soft tissues, and brain in particular? it’s a miracle he’s still alive and functional.

Expand **18 comments**  


Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
The serum must’ve helped, too. I think it’s been mentioned in Cap’s files that the serum was supposed to significantly slow down the aging process, on top of everything else.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I found a site that’s doing live coverage and now I’m reading back the whole thing.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
And they wiped his memories after each mission, because they were worried their brainwashing wouldn’t stick. Because he was fighting it that entire time. God. 

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Jesus. I’m crying at work. I don’t even give a fuck anymore.

Reply from **fighttheland**  
fuck, how is he keeping it together? how is he not crying? HOW? this is horrific. 

Reply from **lachance**  
i can’t even imagine how painful this must be for him. he looks like hell.

Reply from **towardsthesun**  
roommate came in a moment ago and asked me why i was shaking. i didn’t even know i was doing that. i think i need to step away for a moment.

Reply from **starksandstripes**  
CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT CAP GOT BEATEN WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS LIFE BY HIS BRAINWASHED BEST FRIEND? AND THAT THAT’S POSSIBLY WHY? BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO KILL _BUCKY_ AND THAT’S WHY HE DIDN’T TRY TO DEFEND HIMSELF?

because i’m thinking about this right now and i feel like crying.

Reply from **lizzie_dewitt**  
holy fuck. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Oh my god. I didn’t even want to think about that, but you’re right. This just keeps getting worse, and I didn’t think it was even possible at this point. 

Expand **76 comments**  


Reply from **fighttheland**  
WHOA. HOLY FUCK.

Reply from **raypersonjr**  
HE DID WHAT

Reply from **blueskies**  
Jesus, that’s just fucking tragic. I didn’t know this could get any more tragic.

Reply from **farrah_s**  
THE FUCKING STREAM FROZE AGAIN. What happened?

Reply from **quodscripsi**  
cap says it was bucky who pulled him out of the potomac when he went down with the third helicarrier, so he basically saved his life. while still essentially brainwashed. 

Reply from **farrah_s**  
HOLY FUCK.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Can you even imagine what it takes to break through 70 years worth of brainwashing and regular memory wipes to do something like this?

Reply from **carrterrs**  
I can’t decide if that’s amazing or heartbreaking. Possibly both.

Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
Dear god. This is so sad. 

Christ. 

Can you imagine? Going through something like this?

Expand **55 comments**  


Reply from **fighttheland**  
OH FUCK.

Reply from **blueskies**  
WHOA.

Reply from **starksandstripes**  
are you fucking shitting me?

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Did he just? Oh my god.

Reply from **farrah_s**  
what? what happened? my internet keeps disconnecting me now, so i’m writing from my phone, fuck my life.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
They asked if Cap knew anything about Barnes’ whereabouts, and he said he’s been with him for the last three months, recovering under his protection. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Yeah, and the “under my protection” part sounded a lot like “if you want him, you’re gonna have to go through me, and I wish you luck with that.”

Reply from **always_angry**  
At least we know he’s safe. God knows he needs that right now. This entire thing is too horrific for me to comprehend. How do you come back from something like this?

Reply from **carrterrs**  
It just hurts to look at him right now, though. Cap, I mean. He looks so exhausted, so done with everything. I know we all hope Barnes is getting all the help he needs, but I hope Cap remembers to take care of himself, too. 

Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
Doubtful. I hope he has someone to remind him, though.

Reply from **lizzie_dewitt**  
so do we think that’s why he moved back to ny?

Expand **129 comments**  


Reply from **lizzie_dewitt**  
wow, they’re so pissed, oh my god.

Reply from **blueskies**  
Whoa, did Cap just GET UP AND LEAVE?

Reply from **jokersmom**  
MIC DROP 

CAPTAIN OUT, BITCHES

Reply from **fisherkings**  
Good for him, he said what he came here to say, and there’s literally nowhere to go from here. And I can’t imagine he appreciates the not very subtle innuendos they kept dropping.

It’s already all over the news and all over the internet, too. Well, what’s left of it at the moment, because Twitter keeps dying on me, tumblr is mostly dead, facebook keeps crashing, reddit is a mess (more so than usual), it’s a miracle lj is still standing. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Holy fuck, I can’t believe all of that actually happened. Holy fuck.

.

_** BREAKING NEWS: BUCKY BARNES ALIVE. BUT IS HE REALLY? ** _

For more news, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

_** BUCKY BARNES ALIVE: SHOCKING REVELATIONS AT THE D.C. HEARING ** _

Read more over at **D.C. News Online**.

.

_** SHOULD “WINTER SOLDIER” STAND TRIAL FOR HIGH TREASON? ** _

For more information, visit **The Daily Courier**.

.

  
**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
That is preposterous: bit.ly/UqQ9o0 #JamesBarnesIsAVictim

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@mayareid Is this for real? I thought that was only the Daily Courier, which is about two steps up from the Bugle level of incompetence.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson It’s disgusting. The man should be getting more medals than he can pin to his uniform, not treason charges.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@m_mbatha @mayareid Can you imagine the uproar over this? They’re not going to do this, there’s no way they’d get away with it.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@m_mbatha @mayareid And the people who are calling for his head aren’t known for their political savvy, to put it mildly.

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson @m_mbatha It’s political suicide, but the very fact that those voices were given any sort of consideration is abhorrent.

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson @m_mbatha He’s a decorated war hero and he’s been a POW for the last 70 years. And tortured for just as long.

**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
@thelynnanderson @m_mbatha That’s what people should focus on. Not something he literally had no control over.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@mayareid @thelynnanderson Jesus Christ. You’d think people would get that. But no. #JamesBarnesIsAVictim

.

what ails you ( **fisherkings** ) wrote in **spot_your_cap**

**REGARDING BUCKY BARNES: RULE REFRESHER**

I think it goes without saying in this comm, but even so, just in case:

Please, please, be respectful. I get that you probably have about a million questions that you’d like to ask both of them (I think we all do), but please, please, show them the respect they both deserve. 

Please, remember that this is a man who has suffered enormous trauma and who was a POW for the last 70 years, that he was brainwashed and tortured, and that now he’s recovering, which is a long, difficult process. 

So if you see him—either alone or with Cap—somewhere in the street/Starbucks/whatever, please, _do not approach him_. I cannot stress this enough. Please, be respectful and don’t invade his personal space. We know Cap is okay with the attention and people approaching him when he’s out in the public, and he’s always been incredibly gracious about this, but do not assume that Bucky Barnes is okay with the attention, too, even when they’re out together. 

Please, don’t snap pictures from across the street, don’t pester them for autographs, and, for the love of god, _do not ask them about the Lynn Anderson book/their relationship/if they’re fucking/if they were fucking before and/or during the war_. Please, respect their privacy. This is none of our business. They don’t have to confirm or deny anything. They don’t owe you shit. 

He’s been through enough. He’ll be getting enough of that shit from the paps. Don’t make this more difficult on him. And, whatever you do, don’t be an asshole. 

So, to sum up: any and all entries containing paparazzi-style photos or anything that might indicate those rules have been violated will be deleted and the OP will be banned from the community.

This has been a PSA from your friendly neighborhood mod. Carry on.

tags: !mod post, bucky barnes, steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


122 comments

Reply from **thegreendot**  
I swear to god, if I find out ANYTHING like that has happened, I will burn this fucking fandom to the ground. 

Reply from **fisherkings**  
This corner of the fandom is relatively sane and sensible, so I don’t think we have anything to worry about here, but in the broader context—yeah. And I’ll strike the first match. I don’t think people understand how protective I am when it comes to this man. 

Reply from **fighttheland**  
ditto.

Expand **13 comments**  


.

  
**corvoattanos** reblogged **unbowed-unbent-unbroken**

> I know it’s probably tacky to say it at a time like this, but you KNOW someone is getting an Oscar for that biopic.

#bucky barnes #seems legit   


.

  
**atreidess**

> peeps, the howlers pilot leaked. FOUR MONTHS EARLY. here’s the link: bit.ly/1nxXhu6. 
> 
> NOW DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO DOWNLOAD IT RIGHT NOW.
> 
> it’s SO GOOD. SO. DAMN. GOOD. it’s everything i’ve ever wanted and more. all actors are amazing and i might be a little bit in love with morita, ngl. and i really love that they have next to no music in the pilot—i think the guy who directed this did sth similar in generation kill? and it works like whoa. and did i mention francois arnaud as bucky barnes? because whoever cast him is a motherfucking GENIUS. this boy was born to play bucky barnes, HE’S SO FUCKING GOOD, _SO FUCKING GOOD_ , YOU HAVE NO IDEA, OH MY GOD. and he has absolutely amazing chemistry with ryan mcpartlin, that shit is through the roof, i kid you not. i can hear the slash fandom slowly waking from their slumber and rearing their collective head.
> 
> but can we talk about how awesome gabe jones is, too? because HE’S SO AWESOME. AND HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH FALSWORTH IS EVERYTHING TO ME RIGHT NOW. AND DID I MENTION MORITA? AND DUM DUM? AND DERNIER? AND PEGGY? PEGGY IS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD, OKAY.
> 
> I LOVE EVERYONE IN THIS BAR.

#tv: the howlers #ch: peggy carter #ch: steve rogers #ch: bucky barnes #ch: james falsworth #ch: gabe jones #ch: jim morita #ch: dum dum dugan #ch: jacques dernier   


.

  
**nannieslagg**

> omg, i saw cap with bucky earlier today when i did my morning coffee run. i didn’t get a pic or anything bc that would be creepy and invasive but they were waiting in line in front of me and then had to wait for their sandwiches or sth, so i could get a good look.
> 
> it’s good to know he’s getting better.

#steve rogers #bucky barnes   


 

**nannieslagg**

>   
>  **lehannes** said:  
>  Did Bucky look okay? It’s actually amazing no photos of him have been leaked to the gossip rags yet.

  


> yeah, he looked fine. sorta closed-off and on edge but fine.
> 
> and i heard pepper potts might have implied a thing or two right after it turned out bucky was alive, and even the paps are scared shitless of that woman. AS THEY VERY WELL SHOULD BE.

#ask #lehannes

.

**THE FANDOM ENQUIRER**

_**How to Meet Your Captain, or: Why We Love Pepper Potts So Frakking Much** _

By  Zoe Baker on April 9, 2015

_There always comes a time when we think how amazing it would be to meet and hang out with a person we’ve admired for years but who has always been completely out of our reach. There is, of course, Comic Con and other fandom events, but what if you wanted to just sit down and talk for a while instead of being told to get a move on because there’s a line behind you longer than the Mississippi? Well, for one lucky person, that dream is about to come true._

_Thanks to Pepper Potts and the upcoming fundraiser-slash-charity auction for her Potts Foundation (backed and co-founded by none other than Tony Stark), one lucky person will win a brunch with Captain America. One on one. At the Avengers Tower. And it wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary and nothing to write home about—after all, such fundraisers/auctions have a long-standing tradition—if it weren’t for the fact that all those bigwigs attending the gala will not be bidding for themselves. Not this time._

_Since all proceeds from the fundraiser are going to organizations which help army veterans get back on their feet, one of such veterans listed by the Potts Foundation (which has provided numerous vets with free access to the best medical and psychiatric care available as well as state-of-the-art prostheses for those who need them) will be chosen at random to attend the private event at the Avengers Tower at a later date._

_Other auctioned “items” include a self-defense lesson with Natasha Romanoff, archery practice with Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, and a day in a lab with Tony Stark, and they will all be donated by the happy winners to the beneficiaries of the Youth Program at the Potts Foundation._

_In short: if that is not awesome, I don’t know what is._

**127 comments**  


.

Lana Rodriguez ( **lana_rodriguez** ) wrote in **spot_your_cap**

**MEETING CAPTAIN AMERICA**

I know you guys don’t know me, because I’m completely new to LiveJournal and I made an account just because of this, but I was told about this community and thought that you might be interested in my experience. You can read about it on my blog.

(Sorry, I don’t really know how to tag this, I hope this is okay.)

tags: bucky barnes, steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


76 comments

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Thank you! Oh my god, that’s amazing, thank you so much for sharing.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
I was wondering if this would end up here. I already read your blog entry, but thank you for coming here to share your experience!

Expand **22 comments**  


.

  
**STATESIDE SHACK**

Lana Rodriguez wrote in _**Stateside Shack**_ on May 15, 2015

**MEETING STEVE ROGERS**

  
_If you follow this blog, you know I’ve been one of the beneficiaries of the Potts Foundation since I came home, having done two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, after I lost a leg in an IED explosion. If you’ve come here because you’re curious about Captain America, well, now you know that too._

_The other thing that you might not know, especially if you’re new to this blog, is that the Potts Foundation has also provided me with an advanced prosthesis manufactured by Stark Industries which made my life so much easier and allowed me to return to normal functioning. They paid for my physical therapy and for the shrink that came with it. It’s thanks to the people who run the foundation that I could settle into my civilian life with relative peace of mind and no crippling (ha) debt._

_So you can imagine my surprise when I found out that was not the end of it. I’ll spare you the boring details of the logistics of the entire thing, needless to say, after some nice rich people bid on it during the Potts Foundation fundraiser, I was invited to a brunch with Cpt. Steve Rogers, whom some of you might know also as Captain America. See, the thing about something like that is that you don’t really believe it, because it’s such a surreal thing—the man you read about in your history books wants to have brunch with you. Brunch. They didn’t even have brunches back in his day._

_(But you know me, I can live on MREs when need be, but once I’m back stateside, I turn into a hobbit, breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, all that jazz, so I was far from complaining. But okay, I’m digressing.)_

_First of all, I thought it would be somewhere in the Tower that is accessible to the general public, God knows there are enough different restaurants on the ground level that feed all those people who work in the Tower, but I was led to a private-access elevator and taken to the apartments on the top floors of the Tower. Which, wow. The view is amazing. And the living space is amazing, too. I was given the tour of the Captain America floor (the access to the rest of them was restricted, understandably) and it was so, so gorgeous. My sister—she’s an interior designer—would probably have an orgasm just looking at it._

_The conversation I had with Steve Rogers was private and it will remain private, for various reasons, but I can tell you this: what you read about him in history books and on the internet doesn’t do him justice. I was prepared for someone who would be politely interested, obviously, but, you know, it’s not like we’ve been best buddies for years or anything. But Steve Rogers is genuinely one of the kindest, most amazing people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. He’s also really snarky when he wants to be. I never really wanted to go to Comic Con and meet favorite actors or anything, I always preferred to admire from afar, so I didn’t really know how this would go, but talking to him was an amazing experience, because he might come from another time, but he’s seen war, he lost people, lost friends, and he gets it, he gets it so much. And that’s everything I could’ve asked for. There might have been some tears, okay, I’m not going to lie._

_Also, this last part, I want to clarify, is here only because I asked permission to include it and got it. A lot of you are probably dying to ask this question, for obvious reasons, so I’m going to go ahead and say: yes, Sgt. Barnes was there. He didn’t eat with us, but he was there and I did get the opportunity to speak with him for a moment. Once again, the details of this conversation will remain private, but I can tell you that he’s doing much, much better now. Maybe he didn’t say that, not outright, but it was clear to see. He was obviously a little wary of me, especially in the beginning, but it’s clear he’s otherwise very comfortable around Cpt. Rogers. And it was nice to see that you can come back from something like this, maybe not whole, but at least not completely shattered, you know. Reassuring. I know how hard it was for me to adjust after I came back, so I can’t even begin to imagine how hard that must’ve been for him, after all he’s been through._

_So that’s it, I guess. It was great, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. (I got so nervous and rambly at some point, though, that I almost invited them both to my wedding. My girlfriend would freak out so much.)_

_____________________________________

**575 comments**  


.

  
**Unofficial Avengers Daily** @unofficialavengers  
What’s Eating #CaptainAmerica? Check it out on our #Instagram: [bit.ly/1k00hjt](http://i.imgur.com/sSCt4cz.png)  


.

  
**Connie** @fighttheland  
holy fuck, did that just happen? did i just witness captain america come out on national television?

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland WHAT.

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings turn on CNN. dude, this is unreal. there’s just stunned silence in the studio. holy fuck.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland OH MY GOD. 

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@fighttheland I’m on my phone, what happened? 

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings they invited him to comment on the new vet policy that’s being discussed in the congress and the VA clusterfuck.

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings and bc today is the anniversary of the marriage equality act being passed they asked him about his thoughts on the matter.

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings i honestly don’t think they expected him to say it’s nice that he—they—could get married now if they wanted. 

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@fisherkings they meaning him and bucky barnes. you could see the blood drain from the anchors’ faces. 

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@fisherkings @fighttheland Their expressions were amazing. Holy shit. They were literally rendered speechless.

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
Have you seen this? Is this for real? @fisherkings @fighttheland @thegreendot

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@carrterrs It’s 100% for real. I know. I’m literally pinching myself. 

**feelin’ blue** @blueskies  
HOLY FUCK. HOLY FUCK.

**always angry** @pixelofgreen  
@blueskies DUDE. I KNOW.

**Vee** @thegreendot  
@blueskies Yup.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@pixelofgreen I’m missing all of this, I can’t believe my shitty luck. 

**always angry** @pixelofgreen  
@fisherkings this will be all over youtube in no time. it’s already trending worldwide. and some people are already frothing at the mouth.

**stressed and repressed** @carrterrs  
@pixelofgreen I expected nothing else. The homophobes are coming out of the woodwork. 

**Connie** @fighttheland  
@carrterrs @pixelofgreen of course. of fucking course. jfc.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@pixelofgreen I’m hardly surprised. Also, now that we know this? The whole D.C. showdown? 10 000x more tragic.

**feelin’ blue** @blueskies  
@fisherkings you had to, didn’t you. you just had to make it worse. fuck everything, i’m gonna go hug my asshole cat.

**what ails you** @fisherkings  
@blueskies Misery loves company, etc. But really, I’m SO HAPPY for them. So happy. Fuck the haters.

.

_** CAPTAIN AMERICA IS OUT… OF HIS MIND? ** _

For more news, go to **The Daily Bugle Online** or follow **@thedailybugle**  


.

_** COMING-OUT OF THE YEAR: CAPTAIN AMERICA SHOCKS THE NATION ** _

Read more over at **D.C. News Online**.

.

_** AMERICA SPEAKS OUT: SHOULD CAPTAIN AMERICA BE STRIPPED OF HIS RANK AND TITLE? ** _

For more information, visit **The Daily Courier**.

.

vee ( **thegreendot** ) wrote in **cap_news**

**CAPTAIN AMERICA COMES OUT ON NATIONAL TELEVISION**

As you probably already know, Steve Rogers came out earlier today on national television and confirmed he’s in a relationship with Sgt. James Barnes.

As you probably ALSO know, a bunch of radical conservatives demand that he be stripped of his rank and his title of Captain America. 

Presented with no comment.

[source 1] [source 2]

tags: person: bucky barnes, person: steve rogers  
_____________________________________  


10194 comments

Reply from **fighttheland**  
PAGING LJ USER **howlingcommando15** BECAUSE HE HAS SOME SHIT TO EAT. oh my god, this is precious. oh my god, i’m dying.

Reply from **thegreendot**  
FIFTY-SEVEN ACADEMICS JUST PUNCHED THE AIR.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
I see what you did there and I approve. 

Expand **52 comments**

Reply from **carrterrs**  
It must be good to be Lynn Anderson right now. I bet Miller and Everett are having a collective aneurysm as we speak. 

Reply from **raypersonjr**  
LOL 

yes, probably.

Reply from **lyanna-stark**  
Holy shit. I didn’t expect to see _that_ when I woke up this morning. 

Reply from **hoipolloi**  
UGH. Really? Was that really necessary?

Reply from **farrah_s**  
Congrats. They deserve to be happy, after all they’ve been through. 

Expand **37 comments**

Reply from **howlingcommando15**  
That is disgraceful and I’m deeply disappointed in a man I thought was worthy of being a role model to young people of all generations in America. He knew that the lifestyle he chose for himself was immoral and illegal, and he purposely LIED to the American public for years, deceived us and made us think he was someone different than he was in reality. How can he represent the people of America when he stands for something that most of the society (minus the “feminists” and the “SJWs”) disagrees with? How are we supposed to trust him now? 

The people who want to strip him of his rank and title are just anticipating something that’s inevitable in any case, because the people of America won’t want Captain America to be a homosexual. I know you probably don’t want to hear it, because almost everyone here has been indoctrinated and brainwashed and you all just start screaming as soon as someone says they don’t agree with all that political correctness crap, but that’s just the way it is. We don’t want Captain America, the hero who’s supposed to represent the majority of Americans, to be someone we can’t identify with at all because of the lifestyle he chooses. So you can scream all you want, but I’m telling you right now that Captain America cannot be a homosexual, because that’s not who people in America are.

Reply from **fisherkings**  
I don’t even know where to start with this comment, so I’m just going to back away slowly. 

Reply from **thegreendot**  
Wow. Just. Wow. No words.

Reply from **carrterrs**  
Oh my god, are you still here? 

Reply from **always_angry**  
Don’t worry, **howlingcommando15** , reddit and 4chan will welcome you with open arms.

Expand **548 comments**  


.

  
**Maya Reid** @mayareid  
Congratulations to #CaptainAmerica and #BuckyBarnes. And also to @thelynnanderson for being right.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@mayareid Hah, thank you. I never thought I’d live to see the confirmation of my theories. Certainly not in such a spectacular manner.

**Michelle Mbatha** @m_mbatha  
@thelynnanderson I guess certain someones owe you an apology. You should sue for, you know, LIBELOUS ACCUSATIONS.

**Lynn E. Anderson** @thelynnanderson  
@m_mbatha I’m perfectly content with the cosmic ironic laughter of history ringing in their ears. I’m generous like this.

.

  
**Steve Rogers** @steverogers  
Thank you. It only took us a century. #SteveRogers #BuckyBarnes


	4. epilogue

_[six months later]_

_**Bucky Barnes to Join the Avengers Line-Up for the First Time at the 2015 Stark Expo** _

Read more over at **The Fandom Enquirer**.

.

  
**the wicked witch** @morganlefayy  
look at them. look. at. them. [bit.ly/1rFwT2Y](http://i.imgur.com/rOCU6ur.png) [bit.ly/Uz0I8g](http://i.imgur.com/LaLo6rG.png) [bit.ly/1jZWmmR](http://i.imgur.com/HjMWlL6.png) #instagram

.

  
**ohcaptainmycaptain**

> I’M STILL SHAKING AND CRYING OH MY GOD IT WAS SO AMAZING.
> 
> i got to see both of them and i could barely get a word out, i was so overwhelmed but they were so sweet and oh my god i’m still a total mess over this but THIS WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. AND BUCKY LOVED THE CUSTOM BUCKY BEAR I MADE FOR HIM OH MY GOD

#S C R E A M I N G #OH MY FUCKING GOD I CANT BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED   


.

  
**Steve Rogers** @steverogers  
After the Stark Expo: [bit.ly/1xdpFTz](http://i.imgur.com/lZU8nYE.png) #Instagram #BuckyBarnes

**Author's Note:**

> so this is what i'm doing with my degree in english literature. well done, self. 
> 
> also, if you want, come say hi on [tumblr](http://idrilka.tumblr.com/)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [not an origin story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2219289) by [eiirene](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eiirene/pseuds/eiirene)




End file.
